Oak alternatives are products developed to provide the sensory properties of wood to wine without using barrels. The increasing cost of barrels as well the time and space required to maintain them has lead to the development of oak alternatives. Alternatives come in several forms with the common ones being powder, chips, and stave inserts. The wood is toasted to a desired level just as barrels. Oak alternatives are also used to extend the life of neutral barrels by providing a new source for sensory component extraction that old barrels lack.