Ageing and Storing Wine

Balazs Hungarian Oak Barrel | Mild Toast | 20L | 5.28 gal

    Description

    • Made from high-quality Slavonian oak sustainably sourced from Hungarian forests
    • Superior in long term storage due to the tight grain and slow release of phenolic compounds
    • Equivalent or superior quality compared to French Oak barrels at a much more affordable cost
    • Zinc-plated steel barrel hoops for corrosion resistance
    • Coopered by the world-renowned Balazs Nagy

    Balazs barrels is a long-trusted brand of Hungarian oak barrels coopered by the famous Balazs Nagy.  These barrels are equal or better in quality to French Oak barrels but available at a fraction of the cost of their more famous counterparts. Renowned for respecting fruit, Hungarian barrels offer winemakers a great option to impact the mouthfeel, structure and flavor of wine without stepping on the terroir of your grapes. 

    Due to the tight grain and slow release of phenolic compounds, you can feel secure storing your wine in Hungarian barrels longer than you can with other barrels. The slow process of micro oxygenation rounds the wine while various compounds in the wood such hemicellulose, lipids, and lignins are slowly integrated. 

    As most barrel makers know, the best source of wood for wine barrels is the oak grown in the territory of old-time Hungary, known as Slavonian oak. This rare, high-quality oak can be found in the Zemplén Mountains and in the Tokaj oak woods. The specific type of oak in those territories, and what is used in Balazs barrels, is the Quercus Petrea. This oak is characterised by a dense, hard structure combined with extra flavor. Forestry workers look after these forests with considerable expertise, and the forest density ratio in Hungary is 20–24%, with selective logging taking place between November and April. Once the wood is sourced, it is air dried and aged for 24-28 months before cooperage.

    Balázs Barrels is establishing a direct cooperation with the forestry workers, ensuring the continuous supply of the best quality oak, allowing them to source and work with the most excellent oak for wine barrel manufacturing from the foremost Hungarian forests.

    • 20 L (5.28 gal)
    • Height - 16.92"
    • Head Diameter - 10.23"
    • Abdomen Diameter - 12.79"
    • Stave Thickness - 0.66 - 0.86"
    • Bung Hole - 26 mm
    • Empty Weight - 17.6 lbs
    • Mild Toast
    • Barrel hoops made from zinc-plated steel for corrosion resistance
    • Rack included

     

     

     

    Balazs Hungarian Oak Barrel | Mild Toast | 20L | 5.28 gal

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      SKU: OAK707

      $299.99

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        WARNING : This product can expose you to chemicals including Wood Dust, which is/are known to the State of California to cause cancer. For more information go to www.p65warnings.ca.gov.

        Description

        • Made from high-quality Slavonian oak sustainably sourced from Hungarian forests
        • Superior in long term storage due to the tight grain and slow release of phenolic compounds
        • Equivalent or superior quality compared to French Oak barrels at a much more affordable cost
        • Zinc-plated steel barrel hoops for corrosion resistance
        • Coopered by the world-renowned Balazs Nagy

        Balazs barrels is a long-trusted brand of Hungarian oak barrels coopered by the famous Balazs Nagy.  These barrels are equal or better in quality to French Oak barrels but available at a fraction of the cost of their more famous counterparts. Renowned for respecting fruit, Hungarian barrels offer winemakers a great option to impact the mouthfeel, structure and flavor of wine without stepping on the terroir of your grapes. 

        Due to the tight grain and slow release of phenolic compounds, you can feel secure storing your wine in Hungarian barrels longer than you can with other barrels. The slow process of micro oxygenation rounds the wine while various compounds in the wood such hemicellulose, lipids, and lignins are slowly integrated. 

        As most barrel makers know, the best source of wood for wine barrels is the oak grown in the territory of old-time Hungary, known as Slavonian oak. This rare, high-quality oak can be found in the Zemplén Mountains and in the Tokaj oak woods. The specific type of oak in those territories, and what is used in Balazs barrels, is the Quercus Petrea. This oak is characterised by a dense, hard structure combined with extra flavor. Forestry workers look after these forests with considerable expertise, and the forest density ratio in Hungary is 20–24%, with selective logging taking place between November and April. Once the wood is sourced, it is air dried and aged for 24-28 months before cooperage.

        Balázs Barrels is establishing a direct cooperation with the forestry workers, ensuring the continuous supply of the best quality oak, allowing them to source and work with the most excellent oak for wine barrel manufacturing from the foremost Hungarian forests.

        • 20 L (5.28 gal)
        • Height - 16.92"
        • Head Diameter - 10.23"
        • Abdomen Diameter - 12.79"
        • Stave Thickness - 0.66 - 0.86"
        • Bung Hole - 26 mm
        • Empty Weight - 17.6 lbs
        • Mild Toast
        • Barrel hoops made from zinc-plated steel for corrosion resistance
        • Rack included

         

         

         
        Documents
        Oak Barrel Care Guide
        Important Warnings & Shipping Info +
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        Shipping Weight: 13.6 lb

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        J
        Jesus G.

        I am very grateful to have discovered the quality and excellence of your products, particularly the 20-liter Hungarian oak barrel I recently purchased. I was not even aware that this type of barrel was available in this size. I had always wanted to use French oak barrels for aging my homemade wines, but size and capacity limitations made that impractical, so I had been using American oak barrels for both wine and spirits.
        Now that I have discovered the unique characteristics and excellent quality of your Hungarian oak barrels, I am following all your technical recommendations for aging my homemade wines. I am very pleased with my purchase and, as a registered customer, I look forward to learning about your future products, offers, and promotions.

        Jesus G. review photo
        A
        Anonymous

        Does this come with a stopper or a bung?

        MoreWine

        Mine came with a rough-shaped wooden stopper but it is not what you want for aging. Buy a size 5 silicone stopper and hopefully one day it will be included with the product!

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