Wine and oak barrels have a long history together. The barrels play a crucial role in shaping the flavor, texture, and aging process of wine. The process of making oak barrels for wine, known as cooperage, is a traditional craft that requires precision and expertise.

The impact on wine is special. Oak barrels do more than just hold wine; they interact with it.

Wine barrel making is an ancient craft that combines tradition, skill, and artistry. The result is a vessel that stores wine and transforms it into a more refined and flavorful drink.

Oak barrels have been used in winemaking for centuries, and they continue to play a key role in shaping the character of wines today. When aged in oak, it undergoes a transformation that adds complexity, depth, and subtle flavors.

The use of oak enhances the wine in two major ways: flavor and texture. The wood releases compounds that infuse the wine with notes like vanilla, spice, caramel, or smoke, depending on the type of oak used. French oak imparts more delicate, subtle flavors, while American oak gives bolder, sweeter notes.

In addition to flavor, oak barrels allow a small amount of oxygen to interact with the wine, a process known as micro-oxygenation. This helps soften the tannins, making the wine smoother and more balanced.

The time a wine spends in oak and the level of toasting inside the barrel influence the final product. Lightly toasted barrels produce more fruity and floral characteristics, while heavily toasted barrels create deeper, richer flavors.

Overall, oak barrels store wine and actively contribute to its development, helping to create a refined and well-rounded wine that stands out in taste and texture.

A great brand from France that has been established since 1750, Bouchard Aîné & Fils, has different styles and keeps innovating their winemaking process. Whether from famous Bourgogne villages, regional appellations, or homage cuvées, the House's wines carry the Bouchard Aîné & Fils imprint, which since 1750 has become a prestigious signature, synonymous with excellence and know-how thanks to exceptional men.

Full of history and flavors, they are a complete range to allow all connoisseurs and enthusiasts around the world to discover the richness and incredible potential of the noble grape varieties of their region of origin.

Vins de France is produced from different vineyard regions of France. This quite new appellation (2009) allows for a greater liberty in winemaking compared to the appellation system for you can blend varietals from different regions, plus choose the best technique to enhance them. It is a great opportunity for our winemaker to express his skills with a wine with a steady style and unique personality.

Bouchard Aîné & Fils house is perpetuating the tradition of quality, elegance, and prestige in selecting and making fine wines that marvelously express all the richness of the French terroirs. They have selected the best cool-climate terroirs in France and enhanced this selection with grapes from their terroir of origin.

For example, the Pinot Noir grapes, grown in specific vineyards on clay-limestone soils, are subjected to a wide temperature range. As a result, they benefit from very favourable conditions for reaching full ripeness and expressing all the richness of the grape variety. This wine is a perfect reflection of our commitment to enhancing varietals, offering complexity through its finesse but remaining accessible to all.

The vinification and maturing process for the red wine is through cold maceration (4 days) to give the wine a more intense color. Each parcel is vinified separately with a long fermentation (minimum 3 weeks). Vatting ended with a post-fermentation hot maceration lasting 7 days, after which the wines were matured for 4 months on fine lees. A quarter of the cuvée is oak-aged, while the rest is matured in stainless steel vats to preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the grape variety.

Meanwhile, for the white wine vinification, the grapes were harvested during the cool hours of the night to keep the typical freshness of Chardonnay. Each plot was vinified separately so that we respect their true nature, and get a finer and purer wine. After the fermentation process, the wine is aged for 4 months on fine lees, and underwood for a quarter to bring a subtle structure and for the 3 others in stainless steel tanks to keep the fruit and freshness of the grape.

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