| 1) |
The oak logs mainly come from our forests. These logs have to be flawless with at least a length of one meter an straight. With the veneer and the cabinetwork, the stave was the best quality given by the oak of our forests.
Why such a forest ("Futaie"). because the latter produces a fineness and a regularity of the growth not always brought by others("Taillis sous Futaie"). |
| 2) |
These logs will be cut up in the length and then will be split.
Why such a split ? To remain in the grain of the wood and consequently have a waterproof barrel.
The length of the oak planks will be : - from 90 cm to 1.15 m for the stave - from 45 cm to 80 cm for the bottom of the barrels |
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Some oaks enable to make sawn stave and not splitted like the american white oak.
Some stave come from East oaks but have to be used or sold with this label. |
| 3) |
When they are made, these stave will be stocked and stored in the open for at least 12 months to enable the water, the wind and the time to get efficient.
a -diminution of dompness. b -no tanning anymore. c -developpment of microorganisms |
| 4) |
There is the beginning of the cooper's work :
- joint of the stave whose spindle is made on the length and whose thickness will give the shape of the barrels - manufacturing of the bottoms - assembly of the shells |
| 5) |
The toasting - a secret and know-how of the cooper:
The toasting permits : a- the softening of the wood fibers to encircle the shells b- to complete the personnality of the oak by giving it some aromas of toasted bread, of vanilla... that we will guess in tasting. It's, with the drying the main element for the quality of the barrel after its first criterium : watertightness. We must not forget that the barrel was firstly a tool used for storage before being used for the manufacturing of the wine. |
| 6) |
The shells and the bottoms will be then assembled to give the barrels in the rough.
It will be tested putting water and air under pressure in order to find out eventual leaks and to repair them. |
| 7) |
The ending - as the cabinetmaker, the cooper will pay a lot of attention to this barrel.
- The toasting circle are replacing by galvanized circles. - The barrels is then sandpapered like a real furniture. - After, it gets its brand, its type of toasting and the destination of the stave. |
| 8) |
This barrel leaves the cooperage to go to the wine grower's.
Here the end of the the cooper work, except for the renovation and the repairaing. |
Today, our teams intervene at each step of manufacturing of the barrels.
1- Sylvabois Forestry developpers
2- Sylvabois Stave makers
3- Tonnellerie du Sud Ouest
1- Sylvabois Forestry developpers
2- Sylvabois Stave makers
3- Tonnellerie du Sud Ouest