Small Barrel

Although first used as a general term to describe any wooden container, barrels are now used as specific measures. Three types of small barrels are standard around the world. French oak Bordeaux barrels, known as barriques, are used for many types of wine, including cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and Bordeaux wines. They hold 59.43 gallons (225 liters). French oak Burgundy barrels, known as pieces, are generally used for pinot noirs worldwide, including Burgundies. They hold 60.2 gallons (228 liters). And American oak barrels, used for all types of wine, are made in both sizes.

Tempranillo, the Spanish grape most famous for its starring role in Rioja, has a different name in nearly every region in which it’s grown. Which of the following is not one of tempranillo’s aliases?

A. Ull de llebre

B. Tinta de Toro

C. Tinta barroca

D. Tinta roriz

Tinta barroca, one of the red varieties used in the production of Port is not the same as tempranillo. The rest are. Ull de Llebre (“eye of the hare”) is what tempranillo is called in Penedés region of northeastern Spain. Tinta de Toro is what tempranillo is called near the town of Toro. And tinta roriz is tempranillo’s name in much of northern Portugal. In Spanish, temprano means early; the grape’s name is thought to have originated because tempranillo ripens earlier than garnacha (grenache), its blending partner in much of Spain.

Tension

Last week on the Karen MacNeil Facebook page, Edward S asked what is meant by “tension” in a wine. Here goes: tension is the sense in a wine that there are two opposing forces that… Continue reading

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