The Art of Cooperage at Château Margaux

Within the walls of our cooperage, ancestral craftsmanship is preserved and practiced daily. The assembly of staves, a crucial step in barrel-making, is a work of precision requiring both expertise and sensitivity. Jonathan, our cooper, meticulously selects each piece of wood to create a perfectly arranged « rose, » ensuring a barrel of the highest quality.
This emerging structure then undergoes essential phases: toasting, which enhances the wood’s aromas and influences the wine’s aging process, followed by bending and hooping, which give the barrel its final shape. Next comes the shaping and fitting of the barrel heads—an intricate task performed with specialized tools, some of which have been passed down from master to apprentice over generations.
Crafting a barrel takes approximately four hours and requires extensive knowledge. From selecting the wood—where both origin and drying process play a decisive role—to mastering fire for the toasting stage, every detail directly impacts the quality of our wines, which will mature in these barrels for several months.
At Château Margaux, we have made the rare choice to preserve this craft within the estate itself. In his timeless workshop, Jonathan perpetuates this invaluable tradition, producing nearly a quarter of our barrels and ensuring the continuity of a heritage dedicated to the excellence of our wines.