Alexandre Zefner, Cooper at the La Grange Cooperage, as told by Stéphane Ebel

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MORE THAN A JOB, A PASSION!

Was it he who chose cooperage, or was it the other way around? The question arises, as they seem perfectly made for each other. At just 24 years old and with only two years of experience, Alexandre already possesses a deep knowledge of the craft and its environment, a testament to his passion. In 2018, he left his native Charente to move to Nièvre, specifically to Murlin—a village of just 90 inhabitants nestled in the heart of the Bertranges state forest in the Mazou Valley. This area is the birthplace of the majestic oak used to craft wine barrels and home to the Charlois family.

From Cabinetmaking to Cooperage.

Alexandre is one of the three coopers at the La Grange cooperage, which was established two years ago. After completing a CAP (Vocational Certificate) and a Bac Pro in cabinetmaking, he joined the Leroi cooperage in Cognac, which was looking for workers, while he was searching for a job. He committed to a CAP in cooperage in 2016. It was a successful trial for Alexandre. Within a few months, he mastered the skills and techniques of the trade and came second in the Meilleur Apprenti de France competition. “I’ve always loved working with my hands, especially wood.” Humble and diligent, his apprenticeship master, Xavier Dupuis, describes him as meticulous, even picky. Alexandre doesn’t deny it: “I like things to be done well.” Watching him work, it’s evident. From hollowing out the stave, to finishing the barrel’s exterior, to trimming the barrel head, it’s always the same attention, the same precision in his movements.

The Senses Aroused

In the cooperage, early in the morning, the toasting process, a crucial step in production, releases the aromas of the wood. These aromas will give the wine notes of toasted bread and pastries. Alexandre selects the staves for a future barrel. Thirty staves of different widths will be needed to make the container. Laid out next to each other, their total length must precisely reach 215.7 centimeters. “A bad stave means a leaking barrel.” Using his eyes, under natural light, he inspects each one. A visual check, paired with a tactile check, a gentle caress of the wood. “This is the Rolls Royce of oak. You can’t dream of anything better.” Curious and passionate, Alexandre is also part of the Phi barrel adventure, a barrel with perfect dimensions inspired by the Golden Ratio, 1.618, conceived and created by Xavier Dupuis. “Each step was a problem, and for each problem, there was a solution. That’s what I enjoy—taking on challenges, creating, finding solutions, searching…” Alexandre’s next challenge, in the very near future, will be to make the Phi barrel alone, a design developed by his apprenticeship master. The next generation is ready!

5 questions for Alexandre :

– Why did you choose La Tonnellerie La Grange and the Nièvre region?

For a year, I traveled here from Cognac with my apprenticeship supervisor, Xavier Dupuis. It was in 2017. In July 2018, I was offered a permanent contract here. I thought for a tenth of a second before saying yes. (smiles).

– What motivated you?

Here, everything is done by hand, with the finest wood one could dream of, respecting the tradition of barrel making. The process is the same as that imagined by the Gauls, can you imagine? The staves are right there, just in front, in the wood yard, the stave mill is just steps away, and the forest is too.

– What is your perspective on the profession of cooperage?

It’s a noble profession. Knowing that the barrels we craft with our own hands will end up in prestigious cellars, and that the wines aged in them are among the best in the world… it’s extraordinary. All the conditions are here for us to practice our craft in the best possible circumstances.

– And what about your journey?

I worked for several years as a cabinetmaker, in creation and restoration… If I were to draw a parallel between the two professions, I would say that we apply the same care, the same attention to detail, precision, and technical skill. Wood is a living, noble material that has its own rules. We work with staves that are 150 years old or even older, using manual tools that we sometimes make ourselves. I could have continued in cabinetmaking, but with cooperage, I discovered more than just a profession.

– What do you mean by that?

Each barrel we create is unique. It will be one of the essential elements in the aging of wines. The essence of the wood, the toasting time, the assembly of the staves, and the barrel’s seal are all steps that must ensure the quality of the wines. And we also do restoration and repair work. It’s simple: when I arrive at the cooperage in the morning, I don’t feel like I’m going to work. It’s almost a leisure.

* The tonnellerie Leroi, in Cognac, is part, of the groupe Charlois.

** The Phi barrel, or Golden Ratio barrel, is a special order from La Romanée Conti. A barrel with perfect proportions inspired by the legendary Golden Ratio. With a capacity of 233 liters, the Phi barrel is slightly taller (120 cm, compared to the usual 95 cm), which helps optimize the contact between the contents and the container. Its creation required about 36 months of research and work

Photos : Christophe Deschanel