Tonnellerie de Champagne, where the oak barrels are still made by hand. Here, only a tiny number of barrels are crafted compared to the larger automated coopers in Burgundy and Bordeaux. Demand for oak barrels for both fermentation and maturation is increasing as Champagne houses experiment and move towards more oaked styles.
The oak here comes from the Argonne Forest where the oak is denser, which imparts a more delicate, subtle flavours to the wine.
The oak is obtained working with the national forestry department and is Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certified for sustainability, along with a programme of replanting.
