Toasted Heads
Definition - What does Toasted Heads mean?
Toasted Heads (TH) refers to the toast level for oak barrels in which the tops and bottoms of the barrels are also toasted. These barrels are used for red wines with full character and even for some full-bodied white wines, such as Chardonnay and some Sauvignon Blanc.
Just as with Heavy Toast (H), the chemical structure of the oak is also broken down.
WineFrog explains Toasted Heads
Toasted Head (TH) barrels will impart more mellow and more well-rounded characteristics into the bouquet of a wine. Because the tannins are broken down at this toast level and thus do not impart tannin into wines, they can also be used for medium-bodied whites.
If red wines are aged in these types of barrels, it is also suggested that part of the batch be aged in barrels with lesser toast in order to balance the fruit and oak tannin structure. This makes for more balanced wines once they are blended.
