Hearts of Oak

Oak is no longer 'flavour of the month' for winelovers because of over-use in New World wines, say French vineyard owners.

According to wine and travel website, winedrive.com, vignerons are beginning to resist the idea that oak aged or fermented wines are better than 'non-oaked’, an argument supported by customers showing a preference for cuve aged wines rather than those aged in barrels.

According to Mike Spring, English owner of Domain du Garinet in the Cahors region of South West France, the change in taste could be down to New World trends: "This could be a result of over-use or inappropriate use of oak, especially in the New World which has lead to a whole raft of wines that tend to taste the same - of oak."

Mike is not alone. Mme Séverine Bonnet of Gabriel Meffre in the Cote du Rhône also believes the New World trend has been over sold. "We have certainly noticed a change in taste over the last year, so we are putting more emphasis on our cuve aged wines. We use oak only when it is appropriate to the wine, not simply to conform to a passing trend. I know several other vineyards reporting the same."

Added WineDrive's Maurice Carroll: "The majority of French winemakers still tend to regard their barrel aged wine as top of the range, so if you prefer the smokey overtones of wood in your wine, there is still plenty to choose from, but don't pay through the nose just to get an aroma from a wine that does not need it".

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