Fine Grain

Northern Region Terroir

Fine grain results from the Northern Region's short growing seasons — five months average — yielding thin annual growth rings.

Northern Region average ring width = 2mm (13 rings/inch).

Grain size/ring width in southern oak is more variable, depending on the last three conditions in Figure 2. Chatonnet reported this variability in a comparison with European oak.*

• Missouri White Oak = 1-5 mm ring width
• French Allier Oak = 1-3 mm ring width

Springwood Character

Fine grain indicates high quality. But it is important to know what it signifies — a high percentage of springwood. Oak grows in two phases:

• Springwood (Earlywood) — light in color, the slim horizontal bands in the photo (Figure 3) are high in extractable phenols.
• Summerwood (Latewood) — the larger dark bands are low in extractives.

When growing conditions are good, it's the Summerwood which increases ring width, making the grain coarser. Fine grain, slow growing trees therefore have a higher proportion of Springwood.

Average Composition of Springwood and Summerwood**

Source	Growth (mm/yr)	Density (g/cm3)		Extractable Phenols g(GAE)kg
		Spring	Summer	Spring	Summer
American	3.3	.60	.84	19	15
European	2.7	.49	.73	73	48

Source and Seasoning

Our staves are made from barrel quality logs (Figure 4) at the Staggemeyer Stave Mill in Caledonia, Minnesota, the northernmost mill in the U.S. Staves we use are the same as those used to make the finest American wine barrels from these cooperages:

• Beringer
• Kelvin
• Mendocino
• Nadalie, USA
• Seguin Moreau
• Tonnellerie Radoux USA

Staves are air seasoned for two Minnesota winters (Figure 5). White Oak freezes at 10°F. During freezing/unfreezing the structure of the dense wood is cracked, allowing easier heat penetration and wine extraction.

*Source: Chatonnet, P. "Comparative Study of the Characteristics of American White Oak and European Oak": Am. J. Enol. Vitic., Vol. 49, No. 1 1998).

**Chart source: Singleton, V. ”Maturation of Wines and Spirits,” (Am. J. Enol. Vitic., Vol. 46, No. 1, 1995).