Italian version Grignolino d'Asti D.O.C. Red wine Barbera d'Asti D.O.C. Red wine Barbera "Bricco" D.O.C. Red wine Barbera "Barriques" D.O.C. Red wine Ruché D.O.C. Red wine Dolcetto d'Ovada Red wine Roero Arneis D.O.C. White wine Cortese D.O.C. White wine Brachetto d'Acqui Sweet sparkling wine Moscato d'Asti Sweet sparkling wine Spumante Brut Dry sparkling wine Grappa di Grignolino Spirit The use of wine barrels (especially oak wine barrels) to store and age wine is a centuries old tradition (and solution). Wine aged in oak wine barrels is enhanced with the addition of vanilla and oak overtones. Wooden Wine Barrels also allow for a small amount of evaporation of the contents during the aging period. French Oak was considered especially desirable wood for making wine barrels for many years. Most French Oak comes from one or more of forests that were been planted in the days of Napoleon for shipbuilding. As cool wine warms, vapors rise off the wine. Since your sense of smell is a very big part of what things taste like, getting those vapors into your nose is important. Try drinking a bottle of wine that has been heavily refrigerated. In some ways, it will taste a lot like water, or at least tasteless alcohol. On the other hand, if you serve a little below room temperature, you'll get the benefit of the vaporizing effect. So one rule of thumb is to serve the wine 1 or 2 degrees below room temperature. Wine should be stored at a humidity of 70% or greater. The bottles do not have their labels on, since humidity is an "enemy" of labels.