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Article: Commonsense winemaking.
- Article from:
- Wines & Vines
- Article date:
- November 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Wines & Vines. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Q: As a new, inexperienced winemaker, I wonder what types of oak should be used for the best Cabernet Sauvignon wines. I've tasted lots of Cabernet wines and have my opinion between French and American oak, but what does the consumer like?
There's a dichotomy in California, as in the rest of the wine world, between American oak and French oak. If we like that to which we have become accustomed, then Europeans will like French oak and Americans will like the taste of American oak. Maybe. Some people in each group seem to rebel and choose the opposite of what we would guess.
"French" oak is a simple and easy way to say Limousin, Troncais, Allier, Nevers or ...