Every November we get our allocations and then we know if we can increase orders and/or open new accounts. Choices to be made:

Wood Type

Taransaud divides wood into two categories:

Center of France: tight-grained wood primarily from Allier, air-dried 12 months for every 10 mm of raw stave thickness.

Forets Diverses: medium-grained wood air-dried 36 months.

Now it is possible to get single-forest barrels sometimes, but there is a supplemental charge.

Toast levels

Taransaud offers medium, medium plus and heavy toast. Taransaud does NOT toast heads.

Barrel Styles

Shape: 225 liter Bordeaux
Here you have a choice between thicker-staved export barrels and thin-stave barrels. The thin-stave barrels come in three styles:

Export:  they look like export barrels but with thinner staves

Chateau:  wood crossbar at each head and osier-wrapped willow hoops

Chateau ferre:  wood crossbar at each head but with galvanized hoops only

Shape: 228 liter Burgundy
Taransaud has built a cooperage in Beaune where they have made impressive inroads into the local market. Two styles are available

Burgundy export: galvanized hoops only

Burgundy Domaine: wood and galvanized hoops