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For an optimal maturation
Each and every staves that arrives at our park is identified by supplier, forest, lot, and date of receipt. Every oak stave used is hand selected to ensure rigid quality standards and if the stave does not meet our requirements it is returned to the supplier.The staves are strategically stacked in a well ventilated manner on clean pallets and subjected to long, natural, open air-drying in our park where 18 to 24 months of seasoning is common.
The staves are irrigated with clean tested well water and frequently turned over to ensure a homogeneity of the seasoning. The weather of the region also aids in washing away all unattractive oak tannin.
After for example 24 months of seasoning the humidity rate in the stave is around 18% (depending on the season). To guarantee the best barrel finishing prior to manufacturing we blow off about 3 to 5% humidity content of the staves in a specially made dryer. This allows us to remove superficial humidity in order to have stable oak and craft our barrels at 15-17% humidity.
