Anatomy of a Wine Barrel: Parts, Sizes, Infographic

Tuesday, 12 January, 2021
Social Vignerons, Julien Miquel
Ancient Egyptians and Romans were using clay amphorae rather than wooden containers. But those were fragile and unpractical. When the Romans conquered the Gaul (present-day France) just before 100 BC, they noticed the locals transporting beer in wood barrels so they started applying the idea to the transportation of their beloved wine.

Wooden wine barrels were easier to handle, harder to break than amphorae.

Who likes to spill his wine?
It was later discovered than beyond the practical aspect of wooden barrels for transportation, the wood, oak preferably also gives positive characteristics to wines.

This is why today many wines are aged in oak barrels.

Oak barrels are composed of quite a few parts, each of which has a specific name.

Assembling a wine barrel is the art of the cooper.

A cooper’s workshop is called a cooperage.

If you want to pretend you know your wine, you have to know your wine barrel.

This is why we’ve gather for you below an infographic including the specific vocabulary used to describe the various components/parts of a wine barrel. The same vocabulary applies to Bourbon Whiskey barrels.

Find below the infographic the list of arts’ names and their definition, as well as the various capacities of different regional wine barrel types.

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