NEW NAMES FOR OLD BARRELS

My parents both worked for the government and there is something of the bureaucrat in me. Take barrel names for example. I have the approach of a plumbing supply store owner.

“Yup, you need the T112 for your Merlot and then you’ll need some FFTGM+ for your Pinot. And don’t forget the HU149 for your Harslevelu.’ Just back up your truck to the loading dock and Moke will take care of you.”

My competitors are much more artistic and creative. First, we have a group of barrels named after French words: video radio, tele, complexite, volupte, elegance, epice, cagoulard, conformiste, revelation, existentialiste, philosophe, sophiste,  entrepreneur,  etc.

We can’t forget the wine region names: St-Emlion, Margaux, Pauillac, Chassagne, Corton-Charlemagne (“more minerality than our  Meursault barrel”, the salesman told me), Sauterne (somebody forgot the ‘s’), the Rotie, the Batard  (‘Montrachet’ is copyrighted, I hear).  I’m waiting for the Savoie and the Jura barrels and I’ve haven’t seen the Vouvray barrels for some time.

Now part of me says, Gee, maybe we should stop treating winemakers like plumbers looking for a valve and come up with more fanciful names. We could have ‘ecstase’, ‘flaneur’ and ‘bon vivant’ for the party animals.  Maybe ‘NWA’ (Nevers  With Attitude) and ‘Mac Daddy’ for the tough guys. Some of you older winemakers remember when car-crazy teens named their cars: the Judge, The Boss, the Decider, etc. We could do the same with barrels.

Then I got a series of messages from friends and customers. They were all happy…good scores for their wines made in our barrels were helping sales and life was good.

So, for the time being, we are using our boring old names for barrels and treating you like responsible adults. But if you don’t buy enough this year, Mac Daddy is coming to town!

In the meantime, look for our new TV show, Pimp My Barrel!

Many of you ask about exchange rates. How do we determine dollar prices?? Here is the answer: On the day barrels are available for pickup (not the day the ships crossed the Equator or went through the Panama Canal or were unloaded at the docks) we call our bankers and buy forward. To do this we have to give them a deposit so we cannot renege.
Now, you can buy forward on your own anytime. Just let us know you want to pay in Euros. You CAN elect to pay in Euros.  If you think the dollar is going to sink back to its Summer 2008 levels, this could be a good idea.  We can also do this for you, but we need a deposit. You should do this when you sign the PO, not two months after the barrels have docked and we have already bought  forward. We don’t make money on currency exchange. As I told one winery owner, if I really knew where the dollar and the Euro were going, I would own that shining Castello on the hill.

2010 FRANCOIS FRERES PRICES:

Early delivery prices:
April delivery: 657 Euros
May delivery: 682 Euros

The Francois’ give excellent prices for early delivery.

Everyone loves these low prices, so act quickly.

It is first come, first served. It takes over thirty days for the barrels to cross the ocean so don’t delay.

June/July/August:
1-10 barrels:     751 Euros
11-24:                741 Euros
25-49:                724 Euros
50-74:                720 Euros
75-99:                713 Euros
100-124:            702 Euros
125-149:            692 Euros
150+:                 684 Euros

All prices FOB Napa except for full containers. There is a 30 Euro up charge for  Very Tight Grain (formerly known as Troncais) and a 25 Euro up charge for wood hoops.

Three year old wood: We will have some barrels (both Bordeaux and Burgundy shape) available in three year old wood at a 30 Euro up charge. We also have thin-stave export barrels. Limited quantities are available so please contact us about this.

“New “ names  for barrels:
Formerly:                                  Now:
Troncais                                     Very Tight Grain
Allier                                           Tight Grain
Bertranges                                Medium Tight Grain
Nevers                                       Noble Grain
Vosges                                      Very Special grain   
Limousin                                    Open grain

2010 FRANCOIS FRERES HUNGARY PRICES:

This year we are introducing a new barrel we have named ‘The Max’ after Francois Freres’s illustrious sales manager, Max Gigandet. Since the wood comes from a forest near Austria, we were going to call it the ‘Arnold’ but given California’s economy we decided to honor Max instead.  Max’s expertise in these matters combined with Jean Francois’ brilliant knowledge of toasting (‘noisette’)  combined with my insistence on  three year air drying have really shaped the creation of this barrel. Think about it: now you can maximize your wine’s pleasure with the Max!
Barrel description:             Less than container:            Container:
The Max:
Export or thin stave                $705                                        $685
Burgundy                                $705                                        $685
265 L                                      $750                                       $720

Bordeaux:
225 Liter Export                      $655                                          $620
225 Liter export thin stave      $670                                          $635
Chateau Tradition                    $750                                         $720
Chateau Ferre                         $730                                         $695

Burgundy:
228 Liter export                        $655                                          $620
228 Liter Traditional                  $715                                          $695 
228 L Prestige Pinot                  $725                                          $695

Larger Sizes:
265 Liter                                     $695                                          $660
300 Liter                                     $775                                          $750
400 Liter                                     $900                                          $870
500 Liter                                     $1035                                        $975

There is a $30 up charge for three year old wood. This up charge will be waived for barrels ordered by March 15. There is an additional $15 discount for barrels delivered by June 15.

As always, barrel prices are FOB warehouse Napa.  Container prices include delivery for wineries in California.  There is an up charge for container delivery to wineries in Oregon and Washington.

Order deadlines for Hungarian barrels:
Summer delivery: May 1
Early Fall delivery: June 1
Late Fall delivery: July 15

Our sales of Hungarian barrels climb dramatically every year. Demand is beginning to outstrip our ability to supply so act promptly.  Indeed we have added somebody to Team Mel who will deal exclusively with these barrels. Jim Moore worked at Mondavi for twenty years and he and I have made wines in these barrels, so he will be your go-to man in California for these barrels. You can reach Jim at Uvaggio@napanet.net or call him at 707-529-4209.

In Oregon and Washington, you can contact Rick de Ferrari for Francois Freres barrel needs. Rick also sells Taransaud in Oregon and Eastern Washington. Phone: 503 472 8883/email: rick@oregonbarrelworks.com. Rick also sells his own Oregon oak barrels.

 For the East Coast  it’s Tom Higgins, who can be reached via e mail at tom@heartandhandswine.com.

 

TECTONIC SHIFTS IN BARREL LAND

Duane Wall has been threatening to retire ever since the glaciers started to retreat, so I still can hardly believe he has left the building. I cannot wait for the roast because I’ll be tossing logs on the fire. Julie Guffy—the new Duane-- will be turning the spit and Phil Burton will apply the sauce. We’ll use dry logs and Duane will get to see what these are like. Will Jamieson is bringing some home-cooked haggis to the party. Oh Boy!

Here at Knox Industries we have some of news of our own: We have taken over selling Kadar barrels. In 2008 the Taransaud people bought fifty per cent of Kadar and they have kindly asked me to help out. Phil Burton will be taking on a line of Hungarian made by Jean-Jacques Nadalie at his Marchive cooperage near Cognac.

How much excitement can one industry take??

TARANSAUD  2010

With the dollar fluctuating so much it is important to think about the exchange rate. Taransaud can help you fix a dollar price. Let us know if we can lend a hand. As I have said before, we can let you buy in Euros, even fix a dollar price in advance. The one thing we cannot do is give you a special rate sixty days after the barrels have docked. We need to plan ahead. Remember that right now the dollar is hovering around 1.35 Euros. Last summer we hit over 1.52, so you should see substantial savings.

Always remember that Taransaud is the only French cooperage to have outside certification of origin and air-drying. TCA and TBA are carefully controlled and toasting is done according to time and temperature protocols.

2010 TARANSAUD PRICES

Bordeaux:
225 L Reference 112………………….………………….......795€
Thin stave barrels with tight grain.
Early delivery price:………….….…………………….……...765€
These thin-stave  barrels have to be ordered by the end of March for shipment at the end of April. This means late May/early June delivery. We do not have a special price for any other barrel.

225 L Reference 102………………...…………………….….810€
Export barrels with tight grain.
225 L Export Reference 103    ……………..…….……… 765€
These medium-grain barrels are allocated.

225 L Chateau Ferre, Reference 122……….……………..825€
225 L Chateau, Full-tilt boogie, Reference 122..….…......840€
The wood hoops wrapped with osier help your wine feel better about itself. We use the same codes for chateau and chateau ferre as the wood is the same. The difference is the hoops.

Burgundy:
Export Reference 132…………………………………. 768€
Export, Reference 133…………………………...………….748€
132 is tight-grained; 133, medium.
Wood hoops available for 15 Euro up charge.
Other sizes and barrels:
114 L…………….………..….…………………………..… 370€
500 L….……………………….………………………… 1500€
These are mostly 115 cm stave length. 
Other large sizes……………………………………………….ask

Prices are FOB warehouse American Canyon. Storage of barrels for more than one month billed at $5 per barrel per month. For large orders we can deliver to the winery and save you delivery costs if you take the barrels off the container so we don’t have to unload it.

TARANSAUD TANKS:  We are seeing another hot year for tank sales. So, if you are interested, let us know very soon.

                 
KADAR  OF HUNGARY

In the two years since Taransaud has entered into a joint venture with Kadar, they have made over 85 production changes. The quality of the stave wood remains high so the quality should be better than ever.  It is air-dried for a minimum of two years, with three year wood available for a 25€.

The Tokaj forest is located in the north central part of Hungary. The trees are relatively small and tight-grained. The Danube barrels come from the southwestern part of the country. The Petraea  is extremely tight-grained.

Note that these prices are in Euros.

                            1-10                 11-49                 50+        
Tokaj forest          520                   505                 495   
Danube                 510                   505                 485    
Petraea                 560                   555                 535  
Above available in  Burgundy or Bordeaux  shape.

265 Liter                   560                        CALL                 CALL            
300 L                        605                        CALL                 CALL            
400 L                        675                        CALL                 CALL             
500 L                        750                        CALL                 CALL            

Call about CONTAINER pricing.

In Oregon and Eastern Washington, you can contact Rick de Ferrari for your Taransaud needs. Phone: 503 472 8883/email: rick@oregonbarrelworks.com.

Electronic newsletter:  If someone you know wants on the list contact Melissa Basine at admin@knoxbarrels.com.

So, call us at 415-751-6306 or e-mail us:
Debbie@knoxbarrels.com
Mel@knoxbarrels.com
Moke@knoxbarrels.com

All the best,

Mel Knox
February 2010