But not just any barrel — a foudre. A foudre is a massive wooden vat that impacts and preserves the overall taste of the wine. Making a foudre starts with French oak, a tightly grained wood that ...

Including (and central to our question) how much booze will end up in a wooden barrel at the end of 20 years. The beauty of this caramelly, smokey liquor is that it has a full life long before it ends ...

The wood and how it is treated introduces flavors compounds and textures. Oak barrels allow slow oxygenation, which engenders complexity and depth. Malolactic fermentation in oak converts tart ...