The Material we use - Reclaimed Wine Barrel Oak
Vinwood manufactures solid wood furniture from Oak, reclaimed from used Wine barrels, casks, wooden tanks and inner staves from the Western Cape Wine region of South Africa.
Casks and Tanks
Wine casks and tanks are similar to their smaller barrel brothers but are unique because of their size and use. These gigantic barrels vary in capacity from 4000 liters up to 18 000 liters (From 1.8 - 3 metres in height). The Largest of these casks in South Africa are at KWV in Paarl and can hold 109 000 litres of wine. These giants tower three stories high. See the picture in the right hand column.
Large casks and tanks were originally used for wine fermentation and storage but most modern wineries prefer stainless steel tanks to fulfill these functions.
The casks and tanks that we salvage date from the past two centuries and were mostly imported from France by the founders of our Boland Wineries. We preserve the character of these giants by carefully incorporating the markings and numbering on the staves left by the craftsman who made these casks decades ago. The barrel, and stave numbers can be seen on the edges of our Reserve range tables. The Oak trees used for making these huge vessels has to grow for more than 400 years to reach an adequate size.
Barrels
The more commonly seen smaller wine barrels are used in the wine making process for secondary fermentation and wine maturation. These barrels very in capacity from 225 litres up to 700 litres and are used for up to four fills before they retire from service. Each fill duration depends on the winemaker, but usually varies from 12 to 24 months. The life span of a barrel is therefore between 5 and 8 years.
Unique characteristics of barrel oak
- Selection of Oak for barrels: The Cooper (Barrel maker) is present during the felling of Oak trees to select the specific logs he needs for his barrels. Cooperage oak is of the highest quality, straight, containing no knots or burrs and with little sapwood. Thus equally suitable and even superior for furniture making.
Scroll down for more... - Cutting the Oak logs: Oak tree logs, destined for wine barrel making, is not sawn in a sawmill. The cooper (barrel maker) splits the log with a giant hydraulic chisel into long wedges, along the grain of the log. This ensures the impermeability of the barrel. The split is always on the radius of a section through the log which means that the split will always be at a right angle with relation to the year rings of the tree. This exposes the radial grain of the Oak which is clearly visible on all Vinwood furniture pieces. The Radial grain pattern can be described as lighter (in colour) sections of the wood that some describe as "a water-mark-like" grain pattern. This radial split wood ensures minimal expansion and contraction of the wood during changes in moisture content of the atmosphere between seasonal changes (Winter and Summer). A very valuable attribute for solid wood furniture making.
Scroll down for more... - Seasoning of timber for barrels: Oak for barrel staves is not kiln dried as most other commercial timber. It is stacked outdoors in the open to be gradually seasoned by the elements. During this seasoning, harsh tannins are leached out and the wood is dried slowly, ensuring an evenly spread moisture content. This process ensures a soft tannin oak for wine maturation and eventually well matured and evenly dried wood with a very consistent moisture content for furniture making.
Scroll down for more... - Toasting of barrels: In the making of wine barrels, the cooper toasts the barrel on the inside to caramelize the sugars in the wood that brings out certain characteristics that enhances the flavour of the wine.
This toasting can clearly be seen on all Vinwood pieces in the Natural Oak finish.
Scroll down for more...
Re-cycling
We take pride in the fact that 90% of our material is re-cycled timber and therefore from an environmentally sustainable source. The 10% new oak that we use is also from sustainable forests in North America, although not recycled wood.