In Discussion: Master Cooper Quinn Roberts and Three Sticks Winemaker Bob Cabral
Benicia, California – April 26, 2016 — Tonnellerie Ô, the Benicia based cooperage, has posted to their YouTube channel a discussion featuring Master Cooper Quinn Roberts and renowned winemaker Bob Cabral of Three Sticks Wines during Cabral’s recent visit to the facility. The discussion also includes members of the Three Sticks winemaking team.
Impressed by an earlier visit to the Benicia cooperage, Cabral returned with his team to observe Roberts leading the Tonnellerie Ô crew through the barrel making and custom toasting process for Three Sticks’ new barrels. This collaboration, a core feature of the custom barrel programs available at Tonnellerie Ô, allows winemakers to design a toasting program to their exact specifications.
For the Three Sticks Pinot Noir program, Cabral requested a ‘crème brulee’ toast, describing the flavor as “Not caramelized completely, but I want solid sugar.”
“We love requests like this,” said Roberts. “We’re a California cooperage, we’re local, and we want to collaborate as much as possible with local winemakers; we’ll make your barrels just as you describe.”
With the Three Sticks’ winemaking team observing, Roberts and his team of coopers began toasting the partially constructed new barrels over small oak wood fires. Shortly before the barrels are moved off the fire, fuel is added to intensify the heat and sear the oak wood. This extra heat at the end of toasting darkens the wood but doesn’t burn it; the barrel captures the complexity of a long, slow toast with a beautiful, caramel finish.
“Tonnellerie Ô’s attention to detail and modern ingenuity combined with traditional craftsmanship provides the distinctiveness I require to elevate the Three Sticks brand, creating unique and exceptional wines,” said Cabral. “Moreover, Quinn Roberts and Tonnellerie Ô mirror many of the same sustainability philosophies we rely on for Three Sticks; it’s an important element in the success of our partnership.”
The video of the visit, custom toasting, and discussion between Quinn Roberts, Bob Cabral, and the rest of the Three Sticks winemaking team can be viewed on the Tonnellerie Ô YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb7_tuTQ0lw
Tonnellerie Ô is a state-of-the-art cooperage near the heart of Northern California wine country, where artisan coopers hand-craft, hand-toast and hand-finish French and American oak barrels. Production methods feature innovative design and equipment from R. Monnot, SA, including a multi-stage jointer that is one of a handful of its kind in the world. In addition to pioneering technology, our coopers employ time-honored practices, such as barrel toasting in our traditional 2,500 square foot brick lined toasting room. Collectively, our Master Cooper and his team have nearly a century of experience crafting artisan barrels. For more information on Tonnellerie Ô, please visit: www.tonnellerieo.com
