Alongside the clay amphora, the wooden barrel is one of the oldest wine vessels. The Greek historian Herodotus (482-425 BC) mentions barrels made of palm wood in which wine was transported to Babylon. The Celts used wooden barrels on a large scale for transporting wine from around 600 BC. With the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) around 50 BC, the skill was adopted by the Romans, who mainly used fir wood. Remains of wooden barrels (cupas) have been found in Pompeii. Today, oak wood from French or American oaks, but also acacia and chestnut, is mainly used for the production of wine barrels.
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Sigi Hiss
freier Autor und Weinberater (Fine, Vinum u.a.), Bad Krozingen