TO OAK OR NOT TO OAK…

This past weekend my dearest Spanish friend had just come back from Madrid, and we got all together to celebrate her return with a couple of fantastic, full bodied red wines: Cuatro Pasos from El Bierzo (Spain) and Evodia from Calatayud, Aragon (Spain). Both wines are spicy and fruity with an intense black cherry aroma that kept us up until one o’clock in the morning. Great Spanish night!

Continuing my international weekend, on Saturday night we tried an outstanding French wine, J.Vidal-Fleury, 2006 Cotes du Rhone. As soon as the bottle was opened, I totally fell in love with its aroma. I’ve never had before such an “oaky” red wine, so I decided to go deeper and find out as much as possible about this wine, as its French flavor totally seduced me in one second…

So going through my notes, I found out that this French red wine is 50% Grenache (origin: Alicante, Spain), 30% Syrah, 10% Murvedre (origin: Mediterranean coast of Spain), 10% of Cinsault (origin: Languedoc, France) and Carignan (origin: Carinena, Aragon Spain). Also I researched the vineyard that produced this wine and I found that J. Vidal-Fleury is a well known Rhône negociant, founded back in 1787! With over two centuries in operation, it is the oldest wine firm in the Rhône Valley. And guess what? One of its claims to fame is that it was visited by Thomas Jefferson. Totally amazing!

Now the key to this wine, or at least what got me enchanted was the strong aroma of the oak. As you might know, the oak barrels are utilized like a “seasoning” to add flavor and palate appeal to a wine. Oak provides flavor and aromatic support, adding richer, fuller impressions to the wine. The oaky aroma also brings to its flavor, some kind of clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and spices mix which is fantastic.

Did you know that the two most common types of oak barrels are American and French oak? American oak barrels are cheaper and have lower wood tannins; they often impart vanilla nuances with a little sweeter palate. French oak barrels are considered the “gold standard” as they offer higher wood tannins and tighter wood grains which tend to produce less influence on the aroma and flavor of a wine.

Therefore, to oak or not to oak…That is the question.

For me it’s already answered. Vive La France! I loved the oaky 2006 J.Vidal-Fleury Cotes Du Rhone.

Tip of the week: Let it breath.

Pour a glass of red wine and let the bottle and the glass sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. This will give the oxygen a chance to mix with the wine and enhance its flavor.