Many people don’t know what “coopering” is. Coopering is the age old process of producing a cask for the transport of dry or wet goods (each needing a different level of sophistication). Around 225 BC the first wood containers were developed for the transportation of liquids. You might also hear people talk about “toasting” which many equate to a morning ritual with coffee and eggs, but in the wine world refers to lighting a fire and putting an unfinished barrel over it, thus “toasting” the interior. Another vocabulary word for the day is “stave” which is what the individual curved pieces of wood that make up a wine barrel. For what may appear to be a very simple wine barrel there is a long and often times secretive process that each cooperage uses. From the origin of the oak down to the specific forest in a specific country, to the amount of aging pre-toasting of the barrel “staves.” Check out Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage that has a detailed description of the long and complex process that goes into each barrel.