Fine French oak comes from government-managed, dense forest canopies, allowing little sun exposure. Northern Region oak (sometimes called "Minnesota Oak") has a cool climate. Both cause slow growth (Figure 2).

Northern Region Springwood

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

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

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.

Note: Northern Region oak will be more like European.

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

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 2-3 years (Figure 5), which:

• Removes bitterness and astringency
• Enhances natural aromas and tannins