, What Is a Barrique—and Why Does It Matter?

It may not get as much attention as grapes or terroir, but barrel type plays an essential role in winemaking. The barrel material is hugely important, as oak and steel barrels impart vastly different textures and aromas. So, too, is the size and shape of a barrel. The most common barrel style in winemaking? A barrique, a small traditional oak barrel that originated in Bordeaux, France. 

“Adding wine to barriques after pressing, fermentation and clarification impacts aromatics, richness and pure varietal expression as it ages,” says Kyle South, the lead sommelier at three-Michelin-starred Addison in San Diego. 

While “barrique” is the French word for barrel, in winemaking the term usually refers to a particular shape and size. It is relatively tall with thinner staves than most other barrels. Wine labels may tout terms like “aged in barrique” or “barrique-aged.” 

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That said, outside France, the word “barrique” is often used to describe all manner of wooden barrels. “In Germany and Italy, for example, the word has been closely and emotively associated with those who employ barrel maturation in small, new oak rather than traditional cask aging in botti, large, old wooden casks,” reveals The Oxford Companion to Wine.

Beyond its mechanical benefits, the original Bordeaux barrique’s ubiquity can be attributed to its storied track record. “It originated in Bordeaux, so it carries prestige,” says Gabriella Borg Costanzi, wine and service director at Le Crocodile in New

This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast

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