Barrel Aging

1- During aging, the wine concentrates and consequently intensifies the fruity aromas and length on the palate. It is said that the barrel "drinks" the wine.
(Regular topping up is necessary to keep the barrel always full without contact with air; otherwise, the wine would turn into vinegar.)
This constant addition of wine corresponds throughout the aging process to approximately a quarter of the barrel's capacity.

2- The tannins from the wood blend with those of the wine, adding extra complexity.

The choice of wood is an essential aspect to achieve the desired result.

The higher the toasting of the barrel during its manufacture, the more dominant the woody aromas will be, with notes of oak and toast or even tar, masking the fruitiness of the grapes.

For our barrels, we therefore choose a low to medium toasting so that the wine's fruit dominates the tasting. In this type of aging, we primarily seek an additional contribution of smoothness, vanilla and spicy aromas, and persistence on the palate in harmony with the initial fruity notes.

In addition to toasting, not all barrels have the same quality of wood.

The denser and tighter the wood rings, the higher the quality of the barrel.

We order barrels with a number of rings ranging from 7 to 10 per centimeter and verify upon receipt that the staves of each one meet our selection criteria.

This number allows the wood to possess subtle and refined tannins. (Of course, the higher the quality of the barrel, the more expensive it is! Unfortunately...)

...Finally, if the wood is of quality, we are confident that the cooper will take care of it and respect a natural drying time of two years in the open air rather than a faster artificial drying that accentuates the bitterness of its tannins.

This quality of wood is exclusively produced in carefully managed oak forests, such as in the mythical forests of Allier in France.