Barrels used to be the home winemakers only choice for imparting oak flavor in their wines. These high quality oak cubes allow you to achieve the same quality of oak flavor that you taste in good wines. These are the same cubes used by many wineries in Napa Valley. Oak staves (the wooden strips that oak barrels are constructed of) are air dried for two to three years, then traditionally fire-toasted and cubed. Since three varieties are available, you are able to blend different levels of toast to achieve different effects. While the heavy-toast cubes are recommended for big reds that benefit from a heavy, caramelized oak flavor, they may also be used to supplement the medium-toast cubes for a more subtle flavoring. Many of our customers use a blend of French and American cubes, usually using the French cubes in a higher percentage. We have had success blending all three oaks, again using the French in the highest percentage.
