„Bouzinage”

Our French cooper colleagues coined the beautiful term bouzinage for the process in which the staves are bent using heat. In this step, the wood is merely warmed to make it mechanically pliable. The originally straight stave takes on the angle predetermined by assembly and adapts to the planned barrel shape and desired volume – both in structure and feel.

Until now, this process was not considered “toasting” in the professional world, meaning not a measure that shapes flavor – although even here, high temperatures are necessary to make the wood bendable at all.

The differences between lava and jade lie primarily in their thermal conductivity and mineral profile – the latter additionally transferred to the wood by the regular evaporation of water during heating.

The barrels are toasted for about two hours over a defined heat profile. The temperature curves – including targeted peaks – are adapted to the desired toasting style. Human error during toasting is almost completely eliminated. With this method, the barrel can be heated more evenly and for longer than with traditional fire toasting.

Sauna and barrel?!

We now take it one step further: like in a sauna, pre-cleaned and polished lava and jade stones are heated and placed in a basket inside the barrel rose. In this way, the future barrel can be slowly warmed and toasted as desired.

As in classical toasting, the barrels remain over the heat source for different lengths of time – the goal being to break down tannins and hemicellulose at various depths of the stave to create desired aroma profiles.

The resulting barrels are ideal for fruit- and terroir-driven wines. Classic smoky or roasted aromas, as known from open fire, do not develop here. Instead, the wine’s character remains pure, elegant, and clear. The method is suitable for white wines as well as for elegant reds and rosés – perfectly aligned with today’s style.

And this is exactly where our new approach begins: instead of performing the later toasting in the traditional way over an oakwood fire – with open flames, alternating heat phases, and careful covering and uncovering to control heat build-up – we want to introduce a new, gentler method.

Why not use gentle, indirect heat, as in roasting or steaming? The idea: don’t destroy good raw materials, refine them instead! Preserve the natural components instead of burning them with direct heat.

This is not entirely new – in the USA, so-called infrared toasting, often referred to as “aroma profiling,” has been experimented with for years.

Suitable for?

Which is better, lava or jade? How long is ideal? That is, as you might imagine, a matter of philosophy (not only) and naturally depends on the starting product and the intended goal.
A Pinot Noir requires a different toasting profile than a Cabernet Cortis or a Sauvignon Blanc. A whisky should not be compared to a quince brandy.

And that is exactly what makes this technique so exciting: we once again rely on excellent raw materials – the wood – and in return also demand artisanal excellence from the winemaker or distiller.

Yes, this type of toasting forgives no mistakes – neither in the choice of wood nor in its application. And not on your part either – only selected products and experienced craftsmanship can unfold their full potential with this technique.

The toasting profiles – systematic aroma control

The results so far – especially in winemaking – open up new dimensions. This new interpretation of wines, this modern stylistic approach (we want to taste the fruit of the wine in a pure and elegant way, with the barrel as a subtle refinement) is reminiscent of a top-class vehicle in the automotive industry, which is further refined afterward to stand out from the crowd.

We are currently running our first trials with spirits, and the interim results are strikingly different: a fruit brandy emphasizes its original fruit, and a whisky tastes more intense – with noticeable maturation at the same time. We believe this could well fit the zeitgeist and the modern interpretation of spirits!

New to us:

What is new for us is the transfer of this technique to smaller barrel formats below the classic 225-liter threshold. We are also considering its use in large barrels up to 100 hectoliters.

We are starting with oak barrels – and I especially want to encourage you, dear distillers, to try this method in the maturation of spirits as well. Ideally, begin with a small barrel and a special product from your house.

I will make every effort to always have a few samples available during my lectures or at our cooperage in Bad Dürkheim – to make the technique even more tangible.

And finally:

No, I did not invent this process. As is always the case with good ideas, a number of coopers from the USA, Portugal, Spain, and France are currently disputing who was the first to come up with this technique.

I see our task at Wilhelm Eder as further developing this method, adapting it to our valuable woods – and making it accessible to the widest possible customer base.