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Oak
Toast
'Light toast’
Although not widely requested, needs to be the oldest air dried oak so the
flavour result isn’t phenolic, resin, pickling spice with bitterness from
young oak. Light toast enhances the woody characteristics of oak but not
necessarily the phenolics.
‘Medium toast’
Dark tan to brown in color. It has the highest concentration of vanilla,
which appears more as a flavour than an aroma. Medium-toasted French oak is
a slow extractor and should not be used for hurry-up winemaking. An
unexpected yet attractive aspect of medium toast is the low level of tannin
extracted during wine residency.
‘Medium-plus toast’
Brown to dark brown or chocolate color. Medium-plus toast provides roasted
nuts, coffee and caramel, seldom tending toward ham hock, but possible.
Medium-plus is a rapid extractor and will add more tannin to the wine than
medium toast.
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