American Oak: Casks of Character

The natural superiority of the French when it comes to making oak barrels for aging wine is such an article of faith for most California winemakers that they would no more think of using American wood than an auto enthusiast would swap his Mercedes Benz for a Ford.

You might not think wood has much place in winemaking--after all, the beverage is made from grapes, not oak. But most Chardonnays and almost all red wines are aged in oak barrels to gain additional flavor and complexity. In fact, it has been said that what most people like about California Chardonnay is the vanillin smell imparted by oak aging.

For years, French oak barrels have been assumed to be the creme de la creme. First, the species of oak grown in France (largely Quercus robur ) differs botanically from the Quercus alba grown in the United States.

Then there is the matter of how the oak is crafted into a barrel.

Originally, most American barrels were intended for the bourbon industry, which wanted them made as cheaply as possible. So oak was sawed into boards. The boards were dried in a kiln for a few days and then bent by steam into staves, which were assembled into kegs. The result was a raw, resin-scented barrel with little finesse.

French coopers, on the other hand, hand-split the wood (no sawing), which reduced the raw aroma. They also air-dried the wood for a year or two, further reducing the resins. Then, in a critical step, the wood was bent by fire, not steam. The fire did more than bend the wood; it charred the inside of the barrel. Charring seals the resins and adds an attractive note of toast or smoke to wines aged in it.

The differences between French and American oak were huge, and for decades it was felt that French oak barrels were the only choice for making great wine.

But recently, a number of U.S. wineries (Silver Oak Cellars, ZD Winery, Beaulieu Vineyard, Jordan Winery) have begun using American oak with great success. That intrigued Ed Moody, who was charged two years ago with developing a premium brand for Bronco Wine Co., a fast-growing wine firm that recently acquired such brands as Laurier, Hacienda and Grand Cru. Knowing that the wines--to be sold under the name Forest Glen--were targeted to sell for $10 a bottle, Moody wanted to learn everything he could about oak aging.

But which barrels to buy? As Moody chatted with coopers, he learned of some American barrel makers who were using French techniques, which minimized the “sawdust-y” components in some American oak barrels. So his first barrel buy was American oak--but he also bought a selection of French barrels from different coopers. He aged Chardonnay in each and waited to see what developed.

In a carefully controlled series of tests, aided by chemist Andy Waterhouse at the University of California at Davis, Moody let 118 California winemakers taste the wines blind and asked them which they preferred.

Two of the four most popular samples were aged in American oak barrels made by traditional French methods. “The American oak was judged to be just as good,” says Moody. He says as many winemakers liked the Chardonnay made in it as liked the wine aged in French barrels. And that group included some of the most ardent supporters of French oak--including some very big names who have long bragged of only using new French oak barrels.

In a repeat of his test, Moody poured me the same Chardonnay aged in 14 different oak barrels and asked me which I preferred. Three American oak barrels were among my five top choices, though I would prefer to have fractions of all five blended to make the final wine.

In fact, Moody used only American oak from various coopers to make his 1991 Forest Glen Chardonnay, a $10 wine that is one of the best values on the shelf today. The wine has good citrus and tropical fruit, just a hint of oak, and a crisp, rewarding finish.

The wine is one of the surprises of the year, having won medals at every wine competition it has entered. A soon-to-be-released 1992 version of this wine is nearly as good--but it was aged in 40% French oak and 60% American oak.

Companion red wines in this line are an attractive, fruity and tasty 1992 Merlot and nicely balanced, harmonious 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon, both $10.