Italian term for a wooden barrel of not exactly defined size, the volume is between 200 and 300 litres. This corresponds roughly to a barrique (225 litres) and occasionally Carato (Carati) or more rarely Barricato is used as a designation for the barrique barrel or also for the barrique ageing itself. Caratello is the name for a "smaller" barrel. Carato means carat in German, used to be a measure of weight and is nowadays also used as a brand name for wines. Other names for barrels are botte (larger volumes) and fusto. See also under barrel types.
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