Used oak is the term given to barrels that have already undergone wine ageing. A significant portion of the aromas and flavors that a new barrel can impart are no longer available in used barrels, so used barrels are often chosen to provide a more mellow wood character to wines during ageing. This provides greater stocks for blending and also allows the benefits of barrel maturation without the strong wood characters for lighter style wines. After several uses the barrel no longer imparts any flavors and is called neutral oak.