Cooperages that make wine barrels select oak from mills located in the mid-west or France. The oak trees that produce wine barrel wood are grown specifically for the cooperages. These special forests of oak trees are well protected and produce lumber that is ideal for wine barrel construction. It takes 75 to 100 years to grow the trees trunk long enough to yield straight and knot free lumber. Only 15% of the tree can be used to make barrels. This is so because the wood needs to be free of knots and defects in order to ensure a watertight seal.

The furniture begins with wine barrels that are discarded by the wineries. Wine is stored in oak barrels because they impart the important wood flavor required to create fine wine. A barrel is discarded after it is exhausted of its wood flavor, however, the structural integrity and strength of the wood will last 100 years.   .

Each wine barrel is unique in that its contents and environment during usage vary from winery to winery.

Why Do I Recycle Wine Barrels?

The inherent quality of the wine barrel warrants its recycling. Wine barrels are made from the finest oak available. The wood selected needs to be free from knots and defects in order to ensure watertight seams. Furthermore, most trees used in barrel construction are over 200 years old to insure proper grain density and to yield a better flavor.

All these traits compel Wine Barrel Furniture to reuse this unique resource. The end result is the creation of products that set the industry standard for functionality, style, and durability. Thank you for recycling.

~ Paul Block