A whole lot of discussion goes on at wine tastings about oak: how long one particular wine was aged in oak; did the ageing occur in new American oak barrels; or were they French barriques (standard casks which holds 225 litres, or 300 bottles)? But, what does it all mean?

My husband sometimes likes to poke fun at my “seemingly serious” wine analyses when I uncork a new bottle for the first time. He’ll pick up my glass, swirl it around, and say something like, “Oh, I think I am picking up scents of chewing tobacco, rotten prunes, and bacon,” or something to that effect. You get the picture: the man is hilarious, a regular comedian. I, however, do not get offended, and instead go about my lone tasting session in the kitchen while he walks away cracking up.