Barrel-shaped wine container

CASK

This sturdy wooden vessel is often used for aging spirits like whiskey or rum before bottling. You might find it stacked in a dim cellar.

The clue "Barrel-shaped wine container" directly points to "cask," which is a large, rounded wooden vessel traditionally used for storing and aging wine. The word "barrel-shaped" hints at its cylindrical form, while "wine container" narrows it down to a term specifically tied to winemaking. "Cask" fits perfectly as it’s both a synonym for a wine barrel and a common crossword answer for this kind of vessel.