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Barrel

Anglo-American hollow measure for wine and beer and also a barrel type with 119.335 (England) and 119.240 litres (USA). This corresponds to half a hogshead. In the Anglo-American world, barrel is also used as a synonym for barrique barrel, which describes a barrel type with 225 litres. The oil barrel, however, consists of 159 litres. However, the term "barrel" in winemaking can also mean the ageing of wine in barrels, i.e. barrique ageing, as is the case colloquially, especially in German-speaking countries, with "aged in barrique".

Ageing terms

In the New World, various terms are commonly used in connection with fermentation and ageing, which may appear on the label. With regard to the use of oak chips and oak extract (in liquid or powder form), there are differences in wine legislation within the EU and the USA (see Wood chips). Only "barrel fermented" means without a doubt that the wine has been aged in barriques (i.e. in barrels), whereas the two terms "oaked" or "wood matured" mean that this was probably done in the form of wood chips. All these materials belong to the group of oenological tannins.

  • barrel fermented: fermentation in barrique barrels
  • barrel matured: Barrique ageing
  • double wooded: two barrique maturations, each in 100% new barrels
  • oaked: Maturation using wood chips (oak chips), stakvat, staves (inner staves), rebarriQue
  • oak extract: oak extract (wood flavouring) for ageing
  • slightly wood ed: weak barrique ageing (used barrel)
  • strongly wood ed: strong barrique ageing (new barrel)
  • unoaked: not matured in wood
  • unwooded: not matured in wood
  • wood matured: Maturation using wood chips (oak chips), stakvat, staves (inner staves)

Barrique-Keller Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Further information

All relevant keywords with further information on this topic are listed under the keyword cask. For the production of alcoholic beverages, see Champagne (sparkling wines), Distillation (distillates), Speciality wines, Spirits (types), Winemaking (wines and wine types) and Wine law (wine law issues).

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