Anglo-American hollow measure for wine and beer and also a barrel type with 119.335 (England) and 119.240 litres (USA). This corresponds to half a hogshead. However, barrel is also used there as a synonym for barrique barrel, which describes a barrel type with 225 litres. The oil barrel, however, consists of 159 litres. However, the term "barrel" in winemaking can also mean the ageing of wine in barrels, i.e. barrique ageing, as is the case colloquially, especially in German-speaking countries, with "aged in barrique".
In the New World, various designations are commonly used for wine ageing, which may appear on the label. The use of oak chips and oak extract (in liquid or powder form) varies according to wine law in the EU and the USA (see Wood chips). Only "barrel fermented" means without doubt that the wine has been matured in barriques, whereas the two terms "oaked" or "wood matured" mean that this probably took place in the form of wood chips. All these materials belong to the group of oenological tannins.
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For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien