Tonnellerie Taransaud is based in Cognac, France. Taransaud makes barrels, puncheons, tanks, ovals, etc. for the world of wine.

A little history: We know that there was a Taransaud making barrels in the Cognac region in 1652.  It\'s a long history, so I\'ll just discuss the highlights:

1932-Tonnellerie Taransaud  is founded.

1980-Mel Knox starts selling Taransaud barrels.

1997-- Henri de Pracomtal buys the cooperage. He builds a new cooperage and doubles its size while strengthening quality and developing traceability procedures in all areas.

You can read more about Taransaud on their website.

Barrels and tanks made by Tonnellerie Taransaud can be summed up in a few words: consistency, reliability, traceability, and luxury.

Consistency

Taransaud has a few simple rules for making barrels:

1. When the wood is milled, it is divided into two categories: tight-grained Center of France and medium-grained "Forets Diverses\'

2. Tight-grained wood is air dried 12 months for every 10 mm of stave thickness. Wider-grained wood is dried a bit longer.   

3. Toasting is done by a team of workers who use thermocouples and computers to insure uniformity.

Reliability

Outside auditing done by Bureau Veritas confirms origin and seasoning of wood.  Wood, barrels and shipping containers are tested so you don\'t have to worry about TCA, TBA, etc. First the wood is tested before it goes into the aging yard. Then it is tested before and after manufacture. Finally, the containers are tested before they are loaded, so all their work (and yours!) doesn\'t get ruined by a faulty container.

Traceability

Taransaud has traceability on everything. On every barrel they inscribe a control number in two places. We can use this number to trace toasting, wood sourcing, etc.

Luxury

None of this work comes cheap. Yet I never have enough of these barrels.

2011 PRICES:

Bordeaux:
225 L Reference 112………………….………………….......810€
Thin stave Bordeaux   barrels with tight grain.
Early delivery price:…….…….…..….………………….……...779€
These thin-stave barrels have to be ordered by the end of March for shipment at the end of April. This means late May/early June delivery. We do not have a special price for any other barrel.
225 L Reference 102………………...…………………….….826€
Export barrels with tight grain.
225 L Export Reference 103    ……………..…….……….779€
These medium-grain barrels are allocated.
225 L Chateau Ferre, Reference 122……….……………..840€
225 L Chateau, Full-tilt boogie, Reference 122..….…......855€
The wood hoops wrapped with osier help your wine feel better about itself. We use the same codes for chateau and chateau ferre as the wood is the same. The difference is the hoops.
Burgundy:
Export Reference 132…………………………………. 779€
Export, Reference 133…………………………...………….759€
132 is tight-grained; 133, medium.
Wood hoops available for 15 Euro up charge.
Jean-Pierre Giraud tells me he has wood for thin-stave Burgundy barrels available.  These will have 22 mm stave thickness, will hold around 240 liters because the exterior dimensions are the same as regular barrels and there is more room inside!!  First-come, first-served………………………………………… 759€
Other sizes and barrels:
114 L…………….…………….…………………………..… 355€
This price is lower than last year’s. At Taransaud the apprentices make the small barrels. This year we have lots of apprentices and the company wants to keep them busy. We will have around 100 of them. First come, first served.
500 L….……………………….………………..…………… 1500€
Both 105 cm and 115 cm stave length. 
600 L……………………………………………….ask

Prices are FOB warehouse American Canyon. Storage of barrels for more than one month billed at $5 per barrel per month. For large orders we can deliver to the winery and save you delivery costs if you take the barrels off the container so we don’t have to unload it.

Shipping to the Northwest has always been an issue. Sometimes we bring the barrels into Oakland and let the customer sort it out. We can bring the barrels into a Seattle area warehouse for an additional ten Euros per barrel. For a Portland area warehouse, add 15 Euros. Or you can ship from California. Let us know what you prefer and we will try to accommodate you. FYI, it usually costs $20 to $30 per barrel to get barrels from Napa to the Pacific Northwest.  For wineries in Washington state it should be less expensive to ship via Seattle.  Willamette Valley wineries might find it cheaper to bring the barrels in through Oakland.

TARANSAUD TANKS:  We are seeing another excellent year for tank sales. So, if you are interested, let us know very soon.