Term used in different regions and for different functions. In the wine-growing environment, it refers to equipment or components that were used in the vineyard, in the cooperage trade or in cellar management.
In the Waldviertel region of Lower Austria, Beil ("Beu" in dialect) refers to the "bungwood" of a wine barrel. This refers to a round piece of wood that was used to seal the bunghole (opening at the top in the centre of the barrel). The axe was used to seal the barrel tightly to protect the wine from air ingress and contamination. In modern cellar technology, bungs made of rubber, plastic or glass are used today.
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Serious sources on the internet are rare - and Wine lexicon from wein.plus is one such source. When researching for my articles, I regularly consult the wein.plus encyclopaedia. There I get reliable and detailed information.
Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi