Oxygen transmission rate in American oak barrel staves used for wine aging: Influence of wood macrostructure

BACKGROUND: Oak barrels are widely used in wine and spirit aging, where oxygen transmission plays a key role in the development of chemical and sensory properties. In cooperage, stave selection is traditionally based on grain width; however, the extent to which grain and wood macrostructure determine oxygen transmission under barrel conditions remains poorly understood, particularly for American oak. RESULTS: The macrostructure and oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of 214 American oak (Quercus alba) staves were characterized under conditions simulating barrel use, with wood exposed to air on one side and a model wine solution on the other. Macrostructural parameters - density, porosity, growth-ring features, earlywood and latewood widths and ratios, medullary ray characteristics, impregnation, and grain - were quantified by image-based analysis and related to OTR. Compared to previously reported French oak (Quercus petraea), American oak showed higher density, lower porosity, wider growth rings, and greater interannual growth variability. OTR values varied substantially among staves and were on average approximately 68% lower than those reported for French oak. Grain showed only a weak relationship with OTR, and staves with similar grain displayed markedly different oxygen transmission. Multivariate analysis indicated that OTR is not controlled by any single macrostructural parameter but results from the combined effects of wood anatomy, growth patterns, structural orientation, and liquid impregnation. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the limitations of traditional cooperage descriptors for predicting oxygen transmission and provide a basis for improved wood selection targeting specific oxygenation profiles. with direct implications for barrel choice and wine quality. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.