Cooperage

While barrels have been used for centuries to transport and store beverages, the scientific understanding of oak’s contributions to wine and spirits is relatively recent, dating back to Louis Pasteur’s studies in the 1860s at the request of Napoleon III.   Known worldwide for developing the rabies vaccine, Pasteur, whose bicentennial is celebrated [...]

The practice of protecting wine by burning sulfur inside barrels,(Dutch Match) known as Dutch Match, is a Dutch invention first mentioned in Bordeaux in 1765*.   This process involves sterilizing a barrel without deeply disinfecting the wood. A sulfur wick is lit and introduced through the bung hole, releasing sulfurous gas vapors that kill bacteri [...]

While metal is now the preferred material for barrel hoops, this has not always been the case. InOutres et tonneaux, Élise Marlière notes that the barrel likely originated during the Iron Age(8th century BCE/1stcentury CE.) alongside advancements in metal tools. Although metal hooping was mastered during this time, it remained uncommon and only bec [...]

Historical and Archaeological Sources The history of the barrel dates back to antiquity, as evidenced by numerous archaeological discoveries and certain historical and iconographic sources. However, archaeological finds provide only partial information about the history of barrels, as wood—a perishable material—decomposes and disappears over time. [...]

While the Burgundian cask (also known as the pièce bourguignonne) and the Bordeaux barrel have become the reference containers in modern cooperage, this has not always been the case. Historically, there were numerous wine barrels whose capacities varied significantly depending on the region. Moreover, it was quite common for « barrels bearing the s [...]