Industry News
America's Newest French Oak Cooperage, Tonnellerie O, Opens
Tonnellerie O, the newest member of Cork Supply Group's family of brands and the wine industry's newest French oak cooperage, opened for business in early May in Benicia, California. It is showcasing a collection of technologically-advanced, computer-calibrated machinery.
The heart of the cooperage is a 2,500-square-foot, brick-encircled toasting room.
"In building Tonnellerie O, I got to choose what was modern and what was traditional, to combine the best of both aspects," said Jason Butler, a 17-year Master Cooper. "The precision of our equipment offers us greater uniformity, efficiency and quality. But most importantly, every minute this equipment saves my coopers is invested more effectively into critical areas that demand skilled handcraftsmanship."
Expected to produce 750 handcrafted French oak barrels in its first year, Tonnellerie O will keep production limited to ensure quality and the integrity of its house style. That style relies on tight-grain French oak, air-seasoned for three years by one of five carefully selected French stave mills.
To maintain barrel integrity, Tonnellerie O receives imported oak as rough stave blanks into its humidified storeroom. This allows the cooperage to control every phase of production, including the complex jointer, which shapes the blanks into finished staves with computer precision accuracy. The one place technology is noticeably absent is the specially designed toasting room, where Tonnellerie O's coopers are employed to ensure ideal toasting levels and fire temperatures.
"For the rest of the operations we can rely on computers to assist us, but here in the toasting room what's essential are the well-trained eyes, noses and talents of an experienced cooper," Butler said.
Dr. Carlos Macku, who specializes in flavor chemistry, runs Tonnellerie O's on-premise Oak Flavor Lab and conducts extensive testing on finished barrels.
Tonnellerie O's collection includes Burgundy, Bordeaux and Chateau style French oak barrels. While Tonnellerie O maintains an independent sales force, it will capitalize on Cork Supply USA's service personnel to ensure customers receive comprehensive support for all barrel sales. Contact Tonnellerie O at 707-752-6350 to arrange a tour of the new cooperage and learn more about the company.
New Products
Global Package Introduces "Elegant Light" Bottle Line
Global Package LLC announced the release of a new line of high-end, lighter-weight bottles--Elegant Light--specifically designed for the U.S. market. Addressing market demand for lighter-weight, environmentally-friendly bottles, the new line features designs in both Burgundy and Bordeaux styles.
According to Erica Harrop, founder of Global Package in Napa, California, the bottles offer a reduction of between 12 to 15 percent in weight from bottles in the same category. "While the bottles retain the larger neck, curvier body and elegant punt lines that can position a wine in the top end of its category, the bottles' lighter weight provides significant cost savings in shipping and handling," Founder said.
The first bottles to be introduced in the Elegant Light line are the Bordeaux Max, Bordeaux SH and the Burgundy Bella, all of which meet production requirements for capsule application, body width for large labels, and ease of changeover. "You don't need to sacrifice image for cost savings," Harrop said. "These bottles are specifically designed to match the look of heavier 'fancy glass' packaging but without the environmental negatives. Even the most discerning brands will benefit."
The bottles will be immediately available in quantities to meet the needs of producers of all sizes. For more information, contact Erica Harrop at Global Package, LLC., 707-294-7899 or info@globalpackage.net.
Pend d'Oreille Winery Releases Refillable Bottles
Pend d'Oreille Winery's Bistro Rouge table wine is now available in a refillable
1.5 liter bottle.
The idea came from co-proprietor Julie Meyer who was frustrated seeing glass from Sandpoint, Idaho getting reintegrated into other solid waste after being sorted by residents for the city's curb-side recycling program. Because there is no market for the recycled glass, the city had no choice but to reintegrate the glass into the solid waste for disposal at a landfill in Eastern Oregon.
The staff at Pend d'Oreille Winery brainstormed the problem and came up with the concept of producing 1.5 liter bottles with a generic silk-screened label of their Bistro Rouge red table wine. Because it is a generic label, the blend can change. Bistro Rouge red table wine is sold for $25. Once purchased, the clients clean their own bottle and bring it back to the winery for a refill at a discounted price of $16.
Local commercial printer Litehouse Custom Printing (www.lcpmugs.com) was hired to print the label on the bottles. For more information about Pend d'Oreille Winery and their refillable bottles, visit www.powine.com.
Avery Dennison Expands Wine Label Portfolio with Sustainable Facestock
The Fasson Roll North America division of Avery Dennison Corporation has introduced Fasson® Estate Label® #100 Recycled facestock, which is made from 100 percent post-consumer waste paper.
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The new product has a 60-pound wet strength and is paired with a 1.2 mil recyclable liner, made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and Fasson S100R, a wash-away adhesive that allows consumers or recyclers to cleanly remove labels from bottles after immersing them in water hotter than 100°F.
Swatch books and more information about the full line of Fasson EcoFriendly? and Fasson Tree Free sustainable label products from Avery Dennison are available at 800-944-8511 or www.na.fasson.com. Information on Avery Dennison's corporate philosophy on sustainability is available at www.fasson.com.
