L’Atelier [Itinérant] du Tonnelier - Now Operational

We are in the middle of the grape harvest in Burgundy, and a rather unusual truck is making its way through the vineyards, travelling from one village to the next. A vintage-looking truck, a Citroën Type H van reminiscent of days gone by. Its arrival does not go unnoticed: people take pictures of it and ask Laurent, who is behind the wheel: “What year is it from?” A fine tool at the service of winegrowers.

The starting point on this Wednesday morning, August 26: Marsannay-la-Côte. The sky is somewhat overcast, but the sun seems determined to break through the clouds. In the vineyards, pickers and carriers are hard at work. The grapes have to be harvested and handled with care. In their hands are bunches destined for some very fine wines. In the cellars, preparations are well underway before the first grapes arrive. Some estates will not begin harvesting until next week, while others are almost finished, as is the case at Château de Prémeaux: “Out of the 15 hectares, we have harvested around ten. We will finish tomorrow or the day after,” explains Arnaud Pelletier, who has been at the helm of the Château since 2003. A little further on, at Jérôme Chezeaux, the decision has been made to start harvesting next week. “We are getting everything ready. I go into the vineyards every day to taste the grapes. There is sweetness, but the seed is still green. It is a matter of a day or two.”

From Vineyard to Estate

Behind the wheel of his mobile cooper’s workshop, Laurent Maitre, a cooper with Charlois, visits his customers, checks in with them and finds out about the quality of the harvest and yields. “This is an important time for us coopers. The quality of the harvest determines the quality of our barrel production. And I also take this opportunity to introduce our new service: L’Atelier Itinérant du Tonnelier. The idea is to offer winegrowers a new, local and responsive service, allowing us to intervene quickly in cellars and wine stores, and save time. We take care of the minor issues caused by wear and tear and the passage of time. Oak is a living material that reacts when it comes into contact with wine.”

For Arnaud Pelletier, “it is a great idea. We are often completely caught up in the harvest. With his truck, Laurent can come to us quickly and work on our barrels.” The Domaine Noellat in Vosne-Romanée shares the same view: “Whether it is barrels or vats, we are never completely safe from an unexpected problem. One phone call and Laurent can be here within the hour. It is a real bonus.”

A Cooper’s Workshop on Wheels

Inside the Tub, you will find almost all the equipment used in a traditional craft cooperage. “I can almost make a barrel on site,” explains Laurent, “except for the toasting.” A jointer, planer, drawknife, Stockholm plane, hammer and driver, it is all there. Staves, barrel heads and hoops complete the workshop equipment.

Occasionally, although it is rare, a hoop may break on a barrel. It then needs to be replaced. This was the case one August afternoon at Domaine Noellat. “Although we renew our barrels every year, we try to keep them for as long as possible, with all the maintenance that this requires. In the past, every estate had its own cooper, which is no longer the case today,” points out Sébastien, co-manager of the estate. “With this truck, the cooper is back in our cellars.”

Within just a few minutes, Laurent had replaced the hoop in question. The barrel was returned to its place in the cellar, ready to receive the wine from the grapes now being harvested in the vineyards.

Interview conducted on Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Photographs: Christophe Deschanel