We started this unique partnership with Tonnellerie Ô, where we work with them to source wood from particular forests, age selected extra-fine grain wood at a particular stave mill, then bring that wood to the US, where we work with them to apply a specific toast that we developed to best fit our wines. As a part of this relationship, we travel to France with them to visit the forests, cut down trees that will be destined for our barrels, and check on our wood at the stave mills.

Much like winemaking, the art of building barrels, or “coopering”, has its own intricate processes. While much of that is normally behind the scenes, this partnership brings those out, educating us on those nuances and giving us opportunities to tweak them to better suit our specific needs. Our trips out to France let us meet the men and women who are finding forest plots, cutting down these trees, turning them into staves, aging these staves, and ultimately crafting and toasting these barrels.