But competition is fierce, and now oak chips threaten the business.

To regain lost market share, they are pressing for changes in the rules to allow oak chips.

It does have a mild oaky taste, which it gets from soaking oak chips in the wine for a few days or weeks.

He soaks it in rum and then puts it over oak chips.

"Grilling over oak chips tends to throw a heavy smoke, which may overwhelm the food," he says.

"But as far as flavor extraction, oak chips and similar products can help."

Prior to 2006, the practice of using oak chips was outlawed in the European Union.

Heat a smoker until hot, add a thin layer of oak chips and place the grate on top.

You need a lot of oak chips in water.

Only recently, addition of oak chips has been made legal in Bordeaux.