1.  A person who makes oak barrels is called a cooper and his workshop is called a cooperage.
2.  During oak aging, tannins and flavors are added to the wine through contact with the barrel.
3.  Barrels are called barriques in France, but winemakers in Italy and Germany have also borrowed this term.
4.  There are 3 main types of oak - French, American and Hungarian/Eastern European Oak. At Messina Hof, we have French and American oak.