The final stage in vinification is aging the wine. At this point, the clarified wine is transferred into either wooden barrels or metal vats in which the wine is allowed to further mature and develop flavors. If a winemaker chooses to age the wine in wooden casks, he will be allowing the wine to pick up flavors from the wood, adding greater depth to its flavors. While this can add body to some wines, keep in mind that the “woody” flavor isn’t suited to all types of wine, hence the use of metal vats.