White wine & oak questions

I can easily believe, Tom, that the interior surface of the oak barrel could be modified during the fermentation. Most trivially, the yeast deposits (the lees) could adhere to the inner surface, hindering the extraction of flavor by the wine. Alternatively, the yeast could actually metabolize some of the flavorants, rendering them more "mellow." Certainly, the increased temperature of a fermenting barrel should promote the extraction of things from the wood.

Mark Lipton

Another thing to consider is that the insides of many oak barrels are "toasted" and the degree of this heat treatment can have an influence on the taste of the liquid stored therein. The most extreme toasting probably is for bourbon whisky barrels that are heated enough to produce a black charcoal surface on the interior. The charcoal perhaps helps remove some of the trace compounds that make unaged bourbon extremely harsh.

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