The most commonly used wood for wine barrels is oak). Oak has a tight grain and is a hardwood, making it an ideal choice for making barrels. The American white oak barrel is primarily used for aging wine because it adds great flavors to it. Other types of oak used for wine barrels include French common oak (Quercus robur) and Irish oak (Quercus petraea). Other types of wood used for aging wine are hickory, maple wood, redwood, walnut, cherry, and chestnut. However, oak is the preferred wood used in wine barrels for centuries, mainly for storing and transporting wine).