WHAT'S NEW FOR THE 2015 VINTAGE ?
TRADE SHOWS
Artisan Barrels exhibits its range of barrels, casks and tanks annually at the following tradeshows:
Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, Sacramento, CA.
Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Kennewick, WA.
Oregon Wine Industry Symposium Portland, OR.
TONNELLERIE ROUSSEAU
Rousseau Cooperage is celebrating their 60th anniversary; and they are excited to announce that their new large format cooperage is ready, just in time to handle the increased demand for tanks and casks— so we hope not to sell out so early this year. They have also developed several very interesting new tanks: a “Zebra” open top with every other stave baked for two days, to provide rich and dark flavors and textures to wines fermented in it (this tank was displayed at Unified and the NW trade shows—the alternating light and dark staves create a zebra-like pattern, hence the name). Next is an upright tank with a fully removable stainless steel top; and third a very handy 1000L round “mini-cask” which is the perfect size and price to experiment with, if you haven’t yet enjoyed large format fermentation and storage.... Finally, the Rousseau family has also released a new special Burgundy barrel, called the 60th Anniversary, which is a variation on the very popular Video barrel, with a richer, rounder toast impact.
In order to better answer its customers’ needs, the Rousseau cooperage announced in March 2013 that it has moved its large formats workshop (producing casks and vats) into its newly completed facility based in Gevrey-Chambertin. This relocation is part of a global project divided into three phases (moving the large formats workshop, followed by the barrel workshop and, lastly, the office) in order to consolidate all the activities at the same site. Rousseau has chosen Gevrey-Chambertin, one of the winemaking bastions in Burgundy, for its geographical proximity to our current workshops, and to demonstrate its commitment to the Côte de Nuits, that has always been home to the cooperage.
Download full press release here.
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | Hungarian and Russian Oak
We’ve had great continued success with our Artisan Barrels Selection 100% Zemplen Forest Hungarian oak barrels (made by our trusted cooper Balazs Nagy). We are poised for continued growth with this excellent cooperage that offers such a fine opportunity for Hungarian oak barrels. Balazs is now also offering Acacia, as well as French oak, and we still have available a Hungarian/French blend barrel (Zemplen body, and COF heads), as well as a full French barrel (BXTX format only). Balazs is also offering a full range of small barrels in both Acacia and Hungarian oak, as of this year. We will happily be continuing to develop the market for Artisan Barrels Selection Russian oak barrels, made from tight grained, 30 month air-dried oak sourced from the Caucasus Mountains. The cold climate, high elevation source results in very tight grain wood, which imparts restrained spice and soft tannin that accentuate and focus fruit flavors. We look forward to tasting (and sharing samples) from some of the excellent trials from the last couple of years!
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | French Oak
We are pleased at the continued success of our Artisan Barrels Selection French oak range. Both styles of Bordeaux barrel, Fire Bent and Steam Bent, have maintained parity in popularity, and it is very interesting to taste them side by side. There is a small (10-15 Euros) increase in their price this year; but of course the Euro exchange rate looks to much more than make up for that, happily. Please see the updated and increased reference list in the back of our catalog--you’ll notice an even greater range this year of wineries from all over North America using our proprietary barrels.
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | Small Barrels
We continue to offer small wine barrels and vinegar barrels as part of our Artisan Barrels Selection. These barrels have exactly the same high quality and design as our previously cooper-branded small barrels. These barrels are built with 24 months air-dried split oak staves from Center of France for French oak (made by Allary), from the Zemplen mountains of Tokaj for Hungarian oak (made by Balazs Nagy) and from Missouri oak for American Oak (made by Allary and A&K).
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | BELLOT Accessories and Fittings
We will continue to offer a refined range of top quality stainless steel accessories and tools from Bellot and other suppliers, including the very fine products of Idea Concept, with a focus on tank accessories such as replacement gaskets and parts. We’re also extremely pleased to continue to offer the Lux Barrel Bung, a lovely glass barrel bung that has a silicon sleeve to ensure a tight seal in the bung hole. Elegant and classy, these not only look great, but unlike traditional “display” glass-only bungs, the Lux Barrel Bung keeps your wine tightly and safely sealed inside the barrel.
A & K COOPERAGE
A&K Cooperage has lots of big news this year. First, Silver Oak Cellars, a longtime partner of A&K, acquired full ownership of the cooperage in January 2015. This change advances the long-term stability of the cooperage, expanding their commitment to building inventory from the _nest sources of stave wood, and implementing Silver Oak’s commitment to continuous improvement in every aspect of wood aging and barrel production. Secondly, in this transition year, the “new” A&K is going to simplify their product line so they can really focus on the quality of their traditional A&K and DL Tribute series barrels. A&K has said that they hope to offer the very popular Hybrid barrel and the 36 month Baccus barrels again in the future. Lastly (though not associated with the Silver Oak acquisition of A&K), with the boom in whisky and Bourbon producers, there is a resulting shortage of American oak for wine barrels; oak prices have skyrocketed, and A&K is forced to recover some of these increases. We share your concern and discomfort with this increase, but we promise that it is directly related to increased costs, and that A&K barrels continue to be very competitively priced among American oak producers.
NOMBLOT
With Nomblot Concrete Tanks, we’re coming off a year of record sales, and are looking forward to tasting the results from the first Dolia models sold. At 317 gallons, the Dolia falls between the small and large Egg in volume; but its extra-thick walls and narrow bottom/wide top promise distinct enological impacts. Because of the popularity of its all-natural concrete fermentation and maturation (now also certified “Food Grade” by the French Wine Institute), Nomblot will no doubt sell out early again this year. So, as always, VERY early ordering is necessary—and why not take advantage of the weak Euro?
LEJEUNE
We’re very pleased to have several new showcase wineries now showing off the boutique stainless steel tanks produced by Lejeune from St-Emilion, France. We can now direct you to fantastic installations from Walla Walla, Washington all the way down to the Central Coast of California. Lejeune is a small, family-run farm that has been designing and manufacturing top-end, innovative, elegant, even artistic tanks since 1975. From compartmentalized and variable capacity, to truncated and conical, and now a new reverse-truncated “Expansion” tank, the range and sheer style of these tanks is amazing. Because of high demand and limited supply, early winter ordering is recommended to guarantee pre- harvest delivery.
PRESS
The Grape Press | February 2011
Vinitech 2010
"...We did manage an interesting chat with the people from Nomblot about their concrete "egg" fermenters which are all the rage amongst the organic/biodynamic community..."
Link.
Wines and Vines | July 2010
Concrete ideas for Winemaking
..."Aubin, who also makes wine under the Aubin Cellars and Verve labels, says that the porosity of concrete—the slow micro-oxygenation—makes for noticeable differences in texture and perceived volume, especially in white wines. For reds, the thermal properties create unique fermentation kinetics, naturally encouraging a kind of cold soak at the slow start of the fermentation cycle and holding temperatures constant for extended maceration afterward"...
Link.
Time Magazine | December 02, 2009
New Wine in Old Vessels
..."Winemaker Jean-Daniel Schlaepfer ferments his high-end wines in egg-shaped vessels based on amphorae - the clay jars used by the Romans centuries ago. Schlaepfer is part of a growing group of producers around France and beyond returning to the wisdom of the ancients in order to achieve the truest expression of a given harvest. The modern version of the amphora, a tank known colloquially as the Nomblot egg, was created in 2001 by French vatmaker Marc Nomblot"...
Link.
Edible East Bay | Fall/Winter 2009
From Forest to Barrel to Bottle. Understanding the Oak to Wine Connection
...."Aubin says he helps wineries choose a cooperage according to the needs of their wine. A winemaker who has paid top prices to obtain grapes from the most coveted vineyards in California is going to work hard to make sure that the vineyard profile is expressed in the wine. For this, he'll go to someone like Aubin, who can help choose the appropriate cooperage."...
Link.
WINES & VINES | APRIL 2009
Concrete Strides for fermenting tanks
..."Last year concrete tanks in a variety of shapes and sizes became more acessible to the California market, when Artisan Barrels in Berkeley became an importer for Burgundy's Nomblot line, and an established Central Coast concrete vendor to manufacture them under the name VinoVessel."...
Link.
WINE & SPIRITS | FEBRUARY 2009
Fertile Fermenters
Click here to view article
WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY | APRIL 2008
Mondavi winery
..."We've invested in wine concrete tanks in part because they have excellent temperature retention. The great thing about the cement is that it is so well insulated that you don't have to use much energy to cool it down or heat it up. The cubes also give great extraction of flavor and color. Unlike stainless, which can produce an austere wine, cement, like wood, gives richer, more supple flavors. There is something on the material that retains more fruit flavors as well as complexity. It's a great combination"… . John Intardonato
WINES & VINES | APRIL 2008
Charles Thomas from Quintessa winery
…In blind tastings since I first fermented Cabernet Sauvignon in that concrete tank in 2003, I discerned a difference between wines fermented in wood, stainless steel and concrete. What I found was a little more intensity with concrete. A little more accessibility, a little more open, a little bit sooner. Stainless steel seemed a little more closed and backward. I tasted the wine a year ago and the difference had diminished a little, as you would expect. But after racking, there was still a difference… . Alan Goldfarb
VIDEO
TF1 News – Fall 2010
Tonnelier – un savoir-faire transmis
Click here to play video (French).
Duration: 00:03:28
Teaser of "Entretien avec la matière"
Tonnellerie Rousseau
Click here to play video.
Duration: 00:05:32
Artisan Barrels exhibits its range of barrels, casks and tanks annually at the following tradeshows:
Unified Wine and Grape Symposium, Sacramento, CA.
Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers Kennewick, WA.
Oregon Wine Industry Symposium Portland, OR.
TONNELLERIE ROUSSEAU
Rousseau Cooperage is celebrating their 60th anniversary; and they are excited to announce that their new large format cooperage is ready, just in time to handle the increased demand for tanks and casks— so we hope not to sell out so early this year. They have also developed several very interesting new tanks: a “Zebra” open top with every other stave baked for two days, to provide rich and dark flavors and textures to wines fermented in it (this tank was displayed at Unified and the NW trade shows—the alternating light and dark staves create a zebra-like pattern, hence the name). Next is an upright tank with a fully removable stainless steel top; and third a very handy 1000L round “mini-cask” which is the perfect size and price to experiment with, if you haven’t yet enjoyed large format fermentation and storage.... Finally, the Rousseau family has also released a new special Burgundy barrel, called the 60th Anniversary, which is a variation on the very popular Video barrel, with a richer, rounder toast impact.
In order to better answer its customers’ needs, the Rousseau cooperage announced in March 2013 that it has moved its large formats workshop (producing casks and vats) into its newly completed facility based in Gevrey-Chambertin. This relocation is part of a global project divided into three phases (moving the large formats workshop, followed by the barrel workshop and, lastly, the office) in order to consolidate all the activities at the same site. Rousseau has chosen Gevrey-Chambertin, one of the winemaking bastions in Burgundy, for its geographical proximity to our current workshops, and to demonstrate its commitment to the Côte de Nuits, that has always been home to the cooperage.
Download full press release here.
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | Hungarian and Russian Oak
We’ve had great continued success with our Artisan Barrels Selection 100% Zemplen Forest Hungarian oak barrels (made by our trusted cooper Balazs Nagy). We are poised for continued growth with this excellent cooperage that offers such a fine opportunity for Hungarian oak barrels. Balazs is now also offering Acacia, as well as French oak, and we still have available a Hungarian/French blend barrel (Zemplen body, and COF heads), as well as a full French barrel (BXTX format only). Balazs is also offering a full range of small barrels in both Acacia and Hungarian oak, as of this year. We will happily be continuing to develop the market for Artisan Barrels Selection Russian oak barrels, made from tight grained, 30 month air-dried oak sourced from the Caucasus Mountains. The cold climate, high elevation source results in very tight grain wood, which imparts restrained spice and soft tannin that accentuate and focus fruit flavors. We look forward to tasting (and sharing samples) from some of the excellent trials from the last couple of years!
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | French Oak
We are pleased at the continued success of our Artisan Barrels Selection French oak range. Both styles of Bordeaux barrel, Fire Bent and Steam Bent, have maintained parity in popularity, and it is very interesting to taste them side by side. There is a small (10-15 Euros) increase in their price this year; but of course the Euro exchange rate looks to much more than make up for that, happily. Please see the updated and increased reference list in the back of our catalog--you’ll notice an even greater range this year of wineries from all over North America using our proprietary barrels.
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | Small Barrels
We continue to offer small wine barrels and vinegar barrels as part of our Artisan Barrels Selection. These barrels have exactly the same high quality and design as our previously cooper-branded small barrels. These barrels are built with 24 months air-dried split oak staves from Center of France for French oak (made by Allary), from the Zemplen mountains of Tokaj for Hungarian oak (made by Balazs Nagy) and from Missouri oak for American Oak (made by Allary and A&K).
ARTISAN BARRELS SELECTION | BELLOT Accessories and Fittings
We will continue to offer a refined range of top quality stainless steel accessories and tools from Bellot and other suppliers, including the very fine products of Idea Concept, with a focus on tank accessories such as replacement gaskets and parts. We’re also extremely pleased to continue to offer the Lux Barrel Bung, a lovely glass barrel bung that has a silicon sleeve to ensure a tight seal in the bung hole. Elegant and classy, these not only look great, but unlike traditional “display” glass-only bungs, the Lux Barrel Bung keeps your wine tightly and safely sealed inside the barrel.
A & K COOPERAGE
A&K Cooperage has lots of big news this year. First, Silver Oak Cellars, a longtime partner of A&K, acquired full ownership of the cooperage in January 2015. This change advances the long-term stability of the cooperage, expanding their commitment to building inventory from the _nest sources of stave wood, and implementing Silver Oak’s commitment to continuous improvement in every aspect of wood aging and barrel production. Secondly, in this transition year, the “new” A&K is going to simplify their product line so they can really focus on the quality of their traditional A&K and DL Tribute series barrels. A&K has said that they hope to offer the very popular Hybrid barrel and the 36 month Baccus barrels again in the future. Lastly (though not associated with the Silver Oak acquisition of A&K), with the boom in whisky and Bourbon producers, there is a resulting shortage of American oak for wine barrels; oak prices have skyrocketed, and A&K is forced to recover some of these increases. We share your concern and discomfort with this increase, but we promise that it is directly related to increased costs, and that A&K barrels continue to be very competitively priced among American oak producers.
NOMBLOT
With Nomblot Concrete Tanks, we’re coming off a year of record sales, and are looking forward to tasting the results from the first Dolia models sold. At 317 gallons, the Dolia falls between the small and large Egg in volume; but its extra-thick walls and narrow bottom/wide top promise distinct enological impacts. Because of the popularity of its all-natural concrete fermentation and maturation (now also certified “Food Grade” by the French Wine Institute), Nomblot will no doubt sell out early again this year. So, as always, VERY early ordering is necessary—and why not take advantage of the weak Euro?
LEJEUNE
We’re very pleased to have several new showcase wineries now showing off the boutique stainless steel tanks produced by Lejeune from St-Emilion, France. We can now direct you to fantastic installations from Walla Walla, Washington all the way down to the Central Coast of California. Lejeune is a small, family-run farm that has been designing and manufacturing top-end, innovative, elegant, even artistic tanks since 1975. From compartmentalized and variable capacity, to truncated and conical, and now a new reverse-truncated “Expansion” tank, the range and sheer style of these tanks is amazing. Because of high demand and limited supply, early winter ordering is recommended to guarantee pre- harvest delivery.
PRESS
The Grape Press | February 2011
Vinitech 2010
"...We did manage an interesting chat with the people from Nomblot about their concrete "egg" fermenters which are all the rage amongst the organic/biodynamic community..."
Link.
Wines and Vines | July 2010
Concrete ideas for Winemaking
..."Aubin, who also makes wine under the Aubin Cellars and Verve labels, says that the porosity of concrete—the slow micro-oxygenation—makes for noticeable differences in texture and perceived volume, especially in white wines. For reds, the thermal properties create unique fermentation kinetics, naturally encouraging a kind of cold soak at the slow start of the fermentation cycle and holding temperatures constant for extended maceration afterward"...
Link.
Time Magazine | December 02, 2009
New Wine in Old Vessels
..."Winemaker Jean-Daniel Schlaepfer ferments his high-end wines in egg-shaped vessels based on amphorae - the clay jars used by the Romans centuries ago. Schlaepfer is part of a growing group of producers around France and beyond returning to the wisdom of the ancients in order to achieve the truest expression of a given harvest. The modern version of the amphora, a tank known colloquially as the Nomblot egg, was created in 2001 by French vatmaker Marc Nomblot"...
Link.
Edible East Bay | Fall/Winter 2009
From Forest to Barrel to Bottle. Understanding the Oak to Wine Connection
...."Aubin says he helps wineries choose a cooperage according to the needs of their wine. A winemaker who has paid top prices to obtain grapes from the most coveted vineyards in California is going to work hard to make sure that the vineyard profile is expressed in the wine. For this, he'll go to someone like Aubin, who can help choose the appropriate cooperage."...
Link.
WINES & VINES | APRIL 2009
Concrete Strides for fermenting tanks
..."Last year concrete tanks in a variety of shapes and sizes became more acessible to the California market, when Artisan Barrels in Berkeley became an importer for Burgundy's Nomblot line, and an established Central Coast concrete vendor to manufacture them under the name VinoVessel."...
Link.
WINE & SPIRITS | FEBRUARY 2009
Fertile Fermenters
Click here to view article
WINE BUSINESS MONTHLY | APRIL 2008
Mondavi winery
..."We've invested in wine concrete tanks in part because they have excellent temperature retention. The great thing about the cement is that it is so well insulated that you don't have to use much energy to cool it down or heat it up. The cubes also give great extraction of flavor and color. Unlike stainless, which can produce an austere wine, cement, like wood, gives richer, more supple flavors. There is something on the material that retains more fruit flavors as well as complexity. It's a great combination"… . John Intardonato
WINES & VINES | APRIL 2008
Charles Thomas from Quintessa winery
…In blind tastings since I first fermented Cabernet Sauvignon in that concrete tank in 2003, I discerned a difference between wines fermented in wood, stainless steel and concrete. What I found was a little more intensity with concrete. A little more accessibility, a little more open, a little bit sooner. Stainless steel seemed a little more closed and backward. I tasted the wine a year ago and the difference had diminished a little, as you would expect. But after racking, there was still a difference… . Alan Goldfarb
VIDEO
TF1 News – Fall 2010
Tonnelier – un savoir-faire transmis
Click here to play video (French).
Duration: 00:03:28
Teaser of "Entretien avec la matière"
Tonnellerie Rousseau
Click here to play video.
Duration: 00:05:32
