Rotwild

Winery Rotwild on the Moselle

The winery Rotwild in Bernkastel-Kues, operate one of the largest barrique cellars in Germany. Here, red wines of the Dornfelder grape variety mature in more than 1,500 barrique barrels in a 240-meter-long 19th-century slate vaulted cellar. Their barrique barrels are made of oak and contain 250 liters, which promotes a slow, special aroma development of the red wine. In this way, the wine matures optimally until its natural acidity becomes round and soft. With optimal humidity and cool storage, there are about 1,500 barrique barrels in which you can age German quality wines. The operator will also be happy to offer you a visit to Germany's largest barrique cellar, which is set up in a 240-meter-long vaulted slate cellar dating back to the 19th century in Bernkastel-Kues.

Winery Red Deer in the Moselle

Rotwild Winery and the aging of wines in barrique barrels

The method of aging wines in barrique barrels is already several centuries old. In French, the word barrique refers to oak barrels with a capacity of between 225 and 350 liters. The barrels are used here for the fermentation and aging of wines, with a deliberate desire for contact between wine and wood.
Older generations of cellar masters particularly appreciated in the barrique barrels that the wine storage in the relatively small wooden barrels led to a better structure and durability of the wines. Nowadays, the main interest is the change in the taste of the wine during the barrique storage of the young wines.
The increased absorption of tannins from the wood and the simultaneous micro-oxidation give the wine its special aroma and a mature, rounded taste.

Winery Red Deer Barrique Wine

Today, barrique barrels are mainly produced in France, Spain, Italy, but also in California and the Balkans. Before use, the barrels are "toasted", which means burned out with fire. There are different methods and strengths of toasting about which the cellar master must decide, because the strength of the toasting has a decisive effect on the taste of the wine. In addition, the different types of oak, grown in different climates and soils, shape the aroma nuances that the wood gives to the wine.