Is there a material difference in the flavors imparted by the use of 3 one year old barrels compared to a combination of 1 new barrel, 1 one year old and 1 two year old barrels?
- posted
20 years ago
Barrel aging - new vs. old
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- posted
20 years ago
Yes. It's a very dramatic difference, not only in intensity, but also in qualities. The flavor/aroma profile changes quite a bit in the first use and continues to change with each use, though at a slower rate. I prefer your second scenario with a range of ages.
clyde
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- posted
20 years ago
Thanks, makes sense.
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- posted
20 years ago
Yes, there's a difference. Which scenario would be preferred depends IMO on what kind of wine you are making. If it's barrel fermented Chardonnay, I'd want the new oak in there for sure. For Petite Syrah, I might want the one year olds for a longer time.
One year old barrels still have a lot of the "goodies" in them; they just don't have any _new_ goodies.
Tom S