The barrel is possibly the best vessel for housing wine during the early stages of its life. Inside the barrel, natural decantation occurs in the most respectful way for the wine; it eliminates any reduction problems caused by the lack of oxygen exposure and allows the wine to develop an organoleptic quality that no other container can provide.
For wine freshly removed from a fermentation tank, the barrel will be its new, warm, and welcoming home for many months. Therefore, before settling in permanently, the barrel must be spotless and well-prepared to receive the wine as it deserves.
At Tonelería Murúa, we have been crafting barrels by hand for two centuries, but we also advise oenology professionals on how to prepare barrels for this crucial moment—the filling process.
How Should a Barrel Be Stored and Prepared?
Once the new barrel arrives at the winery, our master coopers recommend keeping it in its original packaging until it is ready for use. It should be stored in a room free from air currents and direct sunlight.
Other important storage conditions include:
- Low light levels
- Relative humidity of 75-80%
- Temperature between 15 and 20°C
When the time comes to use the barrel, the following steps should be followed:
- Place the barrel on a horizontal support with the bunghole facing upward.
- Fill the barrel with 25-30 liters of hot water (70-80°C).
- Roll the barrel side to side while lying on its belly and rotate it.
- Stand the barrel upright and move it from both ends.
- Leave the barrel standing vertically on one head for 12 hours.
- Flip the barrel over and leave it on the other head for another 12 hours.
- After 24 hours, empty the barrel completely.
And to make it even clearer, you can watch the step-by-step process in the following video:
The filling process must be carried out with the barrel completely clean and dry, and it is also essential that the wine fully fills the barrel.
From this moment on, everything will be the responsibility of the winemaker. That is why, at Tonelería Murúa, we maintain a close relationship with winery professionals, as they must communicate their preferences to us in order to fine-tune the characteristics and performance of each barrel.
We also collaborate with universities and technology centers through our Murúa Hub, a space dedicated to research and learning, where we develop scientific studies that validate, through analytical data, the expertise and craftsmanship that define our cooperage.
Regarding wine aging, we have conducted studies such as the design and development of hybrid wood-plastic systems for wine fermentation and maturation, the influence of American oak tonality on wine aging, and research on white grape varieties aged in different types of wood.
These and many other studies can be found in our Murúa Hub section.
Our close collaboration with winemaking professionals, combined with our expertise and innovative drive, is what defines Tonelería Murúa, Rioja barrels that have shined worldwide for two centuries.
