The Science of Patience In the military, we learned that preparation is everything. In winemaking, that same principle applies to the aging process. What happens inside an oak barrel over months and years is nothing short of transformation. How Oak Shapes Wine When wine rests in oak barrels, a subtle exchange takes place: Flavor compounds from the wood — vanillin, tannins, and lignins — slowly integrate into the wine Micro-oxygenation through the barrel's pores softens harsh
