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BARRELS

Vega Sicilia, Ribera del Duero, Spain

length and taper them at the ends, so that the barrel, and add air pressure to test for le-
they fit together snugly when the barrel is aks. Finally, imprint the barrel proudly with
curved into shape. Then you’ll hollow out the your cooper’s brand, and send us a bill for -
inside flat part of the stave. To assemble the depending upon the rate of exchange - 550 to
barrel itself, you’ll fit the staves onto a frame, 800 dollars.
and then arrange the staves around an iron
hoop. The barrel at this stage resembles a tee- WHEN YOUR BARREL ARRIVES
pee, splaying out from the hoop at the top. In AT THE WINERY
order to shape the barrel, you must bend the Your barrel’s life has just begun when it
staves so that they can, in turn, be bound into arrives at the winery. It will probably be one of
another iron hoop at the bottom. Simi prefers a ship’s container load of 150 barrels, and will
that you use an open fire of oak wood chips ra- reach the winery between June and August.
ther than boiling water, steam or a gas fire. The Your barrel has arrived with its bung hole
wood chip fire helps provide a toasty flavour (opening in the side for the wine to be mo-
to the wine that will age in the barrel. You‘ll ved in and out) sealed by a wooden bung
toast the barrel without a lid on it for about and a piece of burlap. This prevents con-
40 minutes at 320 - 325° F. But these are just tamination from entering the barrel while
guidelines: Coopers toast barrels according to allowing for enough air transfer to keep the
their own sense of what will be best, because inside of the barrel fresh and dry.
each cooper has the expertise to extract the No matter how much care you’ve taken in
best possible characteristics. making your barrel, we will still do a thorou-
You’ll custom make flat ends for your barrel gh inspection of each barrel that we receive.
and fit them into grooves at top and bottom It is essential to make sure that the barrel is
of the side staves. Next, remove the tempora- sound - it should smell good and be clean
ry hoops, and set permanent ones into place. inside. The wood inside, both for toast level
Then scrape and sand the barrel, so that the and smoothness of finish must meet our ex-
exterior is smooth. Now pour cold water into pectations, and of course, it must be comple-
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