Designation for wine ageing in small wooden barrels which, in contrast to conventional wooden barrels, are roasted (toasted) on the inside walls by means of a fire. It is therefore a special form of barrel age ing with the aim of introducing wood and roasted flavours into the wine. Barrique ageing thus allows various additional flavours to enter the wine. The name is derived from barrique, the type of barrel mainly used in Bordeaux with a standard volume of 225 litres.
However, larger barrels of up to 700 litres are also used for barrique ageing. However, the barrel size up to which one can speak of "real" barrique ageing is not stipulated by wine law, but is regulated on a country-specific basis. As a rule, the barrels are made of oak from special oak trees, mainly from France and America, but also other types of wood such as acacia or chestnut from other countries.
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