Master Cooper Program
Our unique Master Cooper series lets you experience a rare insider’s look at barrel making, from forest to your first bottle.
Our objective is to provide you with the opportunity to cultivate relationships with our stave mills similar to those you have with your grape growers to ultimately create barrel profiles that match the intention of your wine.
Hand-in-hand with Tonnellerie Ô Master Cooper Quinn Roberts, you will travel to France to meet, drink and dine with the families who have been crafting quality staves for generations.
You will:
Gain a first-hand education on sourcing while walking through the magnificent national forests;
Observe l’abattage de chêne, or the harvesting of the ancient, majestic trees that are the fruit of the Futaie silvicultural system;
Set aside wood for your own barrels; and
Tour the mills and observe the entire process from cutting to seasoning.
After your oak staves are delivered to the Tonnellerie Ô cooperage in Benicia, California, you will meet up again with Quinn, who will take you through the barrel-making process, including determining your custom formats and barrel toasting.
