A.P. John source the very finest French from the same mills and growers who have, in most instances, been valued suppliers to the company for well over twenty years. These long term relationships ensures timber supplies from sustainable forests that are the envy of French and American cooperages.
Timber is air seasoned at site of mill in Bordeaux, Burgundy or at the Barossa Valley Cooperage for a minimum of 24 months and in many cases a minimum of 36 months.
As further refinement of our use of French Oak, all French Oak arriving at the cooperage prior to manufacture is stored in an open shed allowing air movement through the stave stack and also to prevent our hot summer sun drying the oak too much. This allows us to retain a stable moisture content within the raw oak.
All oak inventories are coded and data-based from the mill to the final product with individual data codes maintained through every production process.
This ensures your A.P. John barrel is produced from select, super premium quality, well seasoned oak.
A.P. John are able to offer you a barrel to suit your wine style.
French Oak air seasoned in Bordeaux -
Oak Sourced from the ‘Centre of France’, with Medium Fine Grain & Fine Grain options, plus Very Fine Grain from Bercé. All Oak is seasoned in Bordeaux (900mm average rainfall) for a minimum of 24 or 36 months prior to shipment to our cooperage. Well suited to most red & white varietals. Stylistically made to assist in ‘lifting’ varietal characters aromatically, whilst providing ‘structural’ oak tannins on palate with good length.
French Oak air seasoned in Burgundy -
Oak sourced from the ‘Centre of France’ available in Medium Fine Grain and Fine Grain options. All oak is seasoned in Burgundy (1000mm average precipitation & snow) for minimum of 24 months prior to shipment to our cooperage. Specifically designed to suit Chardonnay and complex red varietals. Soft integrating oak provides a generous mid palate feel, with good structure & length.
French Oak air seasoned in Australia -
Oak sourced from specific forests such as Bercé and seasoned at our Cooperage in the heart of the Barossa Valley (525mm average rainfall). This Traditional ‘Very Fine Grain’ French Oak Barrel is suited to most Red varietals (warm climate). This type & style of oak provides lifted Toast & Spice aromatically with long grainy tannins on the palate.