In praise of real oak

Barrel fermented white wines are a real treat. One that I'd forgotten about until a summer spent visiting small growers in France. Artisan winemakers generally select some of their best grapes to make a special cuvée. Wonderful complex creamy wines that retain freshness and crispness. It's a shame that it's so difficult to find these wines in the UK.

I knew there are a good number of expensive barrel-fermented whites from Burgundy and a few in the Loire. It was a surprise to find some lovely examples from the South of France. Chateau Montfin Cuvée St Jacques and Domaine La Toupie Fine Fleur are 2 favourites.

I guess that in this country we have become too used to "oaked" wines being those made with "oak chips" a teabag made with sawdust. There's a role for such modern techniques, but the wines they make are not the same as real barrel fermented white wines or barrel-aged reds.