White Wines with Oak

Chardonnay is the obvious one, but it is not the only white that takes to a barrel. Wood gives a white wine weight and a rounder texture, and where the oak is new it adds toast, spice, vanilla and a hint of something buttery. Where it is old, it adds almost no flavour at all and simply lets the wine breathe and broaden.

The best examples wear it lightly. Puligny-Montrachet and white Rioja, Fiano and Semillon, Godello and Rhône whites all keep their acidity and their sense of place while the barrel builds the frame around them. Expect richness rather than sweetness, and a texture that suits roast chicken, creamy sauces and hard cheeses far better than a stainless steel white would.

Read: The Wood Behind The Wine