Oak makes wine complex: a tool, not a cause

The standard

The integrated oak effect measures barrel ageing by whether its contributions merge into the wine rather than stand beside it. Decisive are the origin and toast of the wood, the duration of contact and the relation to the structure of the wine.

Criteria

• Oak aroma supports the fruit rather than stepping in front of it
• The tannins of the wood fit into those of the wine
• The duration of contact follows tasting, not a calendar
• The oxygen admitted by the barrel counts as an effect

Distinction

Oak effect ≠ complexity: oak supplies building blocks, the integrated oak effect arises only when they merge into the wine. Oak use ≠ rank: the amount of visible oak says nothing about the wine, only about the restraint of its use.