Why is oak used in winemaking?

Making oak barrels is a very specialist job, carried out by a 'cooper'. New oak barrels are incredibly expensive, so why is oak traditionally used in winemaking? In episode three, you'll also learn how oak wine barrels are made and how oak changes a wine's aromas and flavours.

###
WSET’s 3 Minute Wine School is a seven-part series hosted by internationally renowned wine communicator Amelia Singer DipWSET. It covers a range of key topics, from what makes a great vintage to why oak is used in winemaking. Subscribe to our channel and follow the whole series to help you feel more confident exploring and tasting wine.

Also in this series:
- Episode 01: How do vines grow?
- Episode 02: What is the lifecycle of a vine?
- Episode 04: What makes a good vintage?
- Episode 05: How does geography affect a wine's style?
- Episode 06: What determines the colour of a wine?
- Episode 07: How are traditional method sparkling wines made?


The 3 Minute Wine School series was produced in association with SommTV