Wine Barrel Care

It is critical to take as good care of your ReCoop barrel as you would your new oak barrel.  

A ReCoop barrel will impart its oak flavoring and oxygenation benefits for three years from the date stamped under our brand.  Thereafter, it can be used as a neutral storage vessel for your wine for an additional 5 years.  If properly taken care of, a ReCooped barrel will have a total of 8 years of additional useful life without compromise to the barrels structural integrity or the quality of your wine.

Handle the barrel carefully and avoid rough treatment that could displace staves and lead to consequential.

In accordance with good wine making procedures, barrels should be stored off the ground in a cool, well ventilated cellar away from direct sunlight to prevent mold growth and excessive temperature swings.  

A barrel that is empty should be stored in a cool cellar, hydrated and sulfured every 3 weeks.  When hydrating, make certain to avoid chlorinated water, as it is known to contribute to the development of TCA, a precursor to "corked" wine..

Upon Receipt

All ReCoop barrels are thoroughly tested for water tightness and structural integrity prior to shipment.  As soon as you receive a barrel, inspect it for signs of handling damage such as:  loose hoops, scuff marks, broken chimes or wet marks that could indicate that oil or chemicals might have been spilled on your barrel during transit.  Please contact us immediately if you find any such issues.  As all ReCoop barrels are tested, rinsed and sulfured before shipment, do not attempt to smell the barrel without evacuating all sulfur from within the barrel.  Our barrels are ready to be filled with wine and need not be hydrated if done within 2 weeks from the date stamped under our brand on the head.  Thereafter, the barrel should be hydrated to ensure all timbers are swollen.

Hydrating of a ReCoop Barrel

There are various processes that can be undertaken to hydrate a barrel.  The principal intent of hydrating is to ensure that the stave and head material are swollen with water in order to protect against wine seepage.  In addition to expanding the wood, extended hydration and other barrel conditioning treatments will "sweeten" a barrel.  

Winemakers will sometimes desire to remove or soften the harsher characteristics of new oak, preferring more vanillas and cinnamons. This is often accomplished by extending the period of water saturation (the barrel is completely filled for a period of 24-72 hours) or, once hydrated, cured with alkaline solutions of weak sodium chloride, sodium carbonate or caustic soda.  If alkaline solutions are used, make sure to rinse out and neutralize the barrel prior to filling with wine.

Recommended hydrating procedure

Note to use only chlorine free, clean, potable water. While standing the barrel upright, fill the barrel with 1/10th its capacity with water.  Cover the bung hole and roll the barrel 5-8 times to wet the inside of the barrel.  Stand the barrel once again and put water on the head up to the top of the chime.  After 4-8 hours, once again, roll the barrel 5-8 times and this time stand it on the other head and top the head with water up to the chime.  Let stand for an additional 4-8 hours, then remove all water.  Once all water is removed the barrel should be filled with wine immediately.  If the barrel is not filled immediately after all water is removed, gas with sulfur or burn a sulfur strip to prevent any mold or fungus growth.