The expertise of a prestigious Spanish cooperage
Tonelería Magreñán formed part of the great tradition of craft barrelmaking since 1820.
It was an interest in the wines of Rioja that led Rafael Magreñán (5th generation) to establish his own cooperage at Alfaro in 1950.
Still located in Alfaro, Tonelería Magreñán is renowned for its traditional skills and and its permanent pursuit of quality for its products both in Spain and over the world.
The expertise and vast experience of its coopers which has been transmitted from generation to generation is Magreñán’s great strength.
Tonelería Magreñán offers a range of barrels crafted from American, French and European stave oak.
Our expertise
STAVES
For its barrels for making and maturing wine, Tonelería Magreñán proposes staves from a choice of three origins:
AMERICAIN OAK STAVES
(QUERCUS ALBA)
The American oak used for stave making has such density that it does not require splitting, but is sawn. This stave wood remains in the seasoning yard in America for at least a winter before being matured at Tonelería Magreñán in Spain.
Using their wealth of experience and the results of research carried out by their Research and Development unit, Tonelería Magreñán has selected woods from different provenances which allows to obtain levels of aromatic aldehydes (exotic and vanilla aromas) that are significantly lower than in classic American oak, offering a fine, delicate touch during maturing periods of 8 to 12 months.
The special texture of these woods procures an excellent evolution in the wine by the balanced extraction of its rich compounds, resulting in improved tannic structure, volume, richness and smoothness. Barrels made using this selection method have been produced since 1987.
FRENCH OAK STAVES
(SESSILE OAK AND/OR PEDUNCULATE)
French oak staves are made by splitting the wood along the grain in order to guarantee a perfectly water-tight fit in the future barrels. This is a critical operation which demands particular skill. Splitting results in a loss of around 80% of the primary material, which renders it a rare commodity. The staves are seasoned in the open air at the cooperage in Spain for a minimum of 24 months.
Tonelería Magreñán favours a classic geographical selection within the great forests of the Allier, Nevers, Vosges and the Centre France, and a special selection called the “Private Collection” from the prestigious forests of Bertranges and Tronçais.
Oak from different provenances gives different results, with variations in terms of the speed, intensity and typicity of the organoleptic qualities transmitted to the wine.
EUROPEAN OAK STAVES
(SESSILE OAK AND/OR PEDUNCULATE OAK)
Since 1995 Tonelería Magreñán has proposed a selection of staves from oaks chosen from certain Eastern European forests. The European oak differs from French oak in its terroir and the method of silviculture.
With a similar profile to French oak, it has a reduced spectrum of compounds, and is notable particularly for its compounds linked to vanilla type aromas.
THE COOPERAGE
Tonelería Magreñán has maintained and developed its cooperage skills forfive generations, and is strongly committed to the values of humanity, authenticity and tradition that have played an important role in its evolution. Barrel ageing is an essential stage in optimising the organoleptic qualities of a wine. For Tonelería Magreñán the choice of wood, and adaptation of cooperage techniques are part of the quest to a perfect an individualised approach to each type of wine. Tonelería Magreñán places great importance on the satisfaction of its customers, which is why every aspect of the manufacture of its barrels can be personalised, from the choice of primary material (blends of oak varieties, choice of grain, etc.), to their capacity, their toast and their final trim.
Toasting
The technique of toasting is very important. Tonelería Magreñán uses modern analytical techniques which allow levels of aromatic compounds created during the toasting process to be controlled. The choice of intensity, for a given type of wood, enables its organoleptic characters to be modulated.
The ranges
Tonelería Magreñán proposes for its French and European barrels a «Selection» range that differentiates grains: medium grain («Standard Selection») and fine grain («Special Selection»). For American oak we use the «Finesse» range for barrels of fine grain. And finally, our bespoke extra fine grain range known as «Private Collection».
• Private Collection – American Oak
• Private Collection – French Oak
The «Selection» range
The Magreñán Selection range is produced in oak of different origins from French, American and European woods.
Depending on the grain, we differentiate:
• STANDARD SELECTION
barrels made of French and European oak and medium grain.
• SPECIAL SELECTION
barrels made of Fench oak and fine grain.
It is also available in French oak with American heads and American oak with French heads. The American oak is sold as Finessse.
Other essences and origins
Magreñán barrels can also be made from wood of different essences or origins, such as Acacia.
Tonelería Magreñán proposes blends of woods under the following denominations:
• FLORAL PLUS
barrel in acacia with French oak heads.
• FLORAL
barrel in French oak with acacia heads.
The «Private Collection» range
What distinguishes the Private Collection barrels from the standard production is their selection of exceptionally fine grain wood and staves that are seasoned in the open air for a minimum of 36 months. Each barrel undergoes a special, deep and gradual toasting method. The range is available in a choice of French and American oak.
• Private Collection — Americain oak:
the oaks come from the forests of Missouri, Ohio and Kentucky. The staves are dried in the open air in America over at least one winter. The seasoning is then prolonged at the cooperage in Spain. These barrels have olive coloured hoops.
• Private Collection — French oak:
the finest oaks are selected from the prestigious forests of Tronçais and Bertranges. After seasoning for 36 months in the open air, staves with extra fine grain are selected for the manufacture of these barrels. They are identifiable by their magenta coloured hoops.
AMERICAN OAK
augments wine quality by bringing out its most seductive characters.
FRENCH OAK
is destined for the ageing of great wines. Appreciated for the finesse of its grain and the elegance of the notes that it confers on a wine, it emphasizes a wine’s inherent qualities.
QUALITY
The organisation and implementation of control systems allows the cooperage to optimise the quality of its products and respond to customer requirements.
Traceability
Each lot of staves that arrives at Tonelería Magreñán is identified by a unique code which follows it through the entire manufacturing process. Each barrel is then identified by the code that corresponds to the Lot Number. This method of identification therefore allows for a double traceability, both up and down the supply chain.
PEFC french and european oak
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification We are committed to the programme of sustainable forest management (PEFC), and AFNOR certification guarantees that Tonelería Magreñán respects the defined criteria for the certification of its chain of control.
ISO 9001
This standard sets out the criteria for a quality management system. Its allows Tonelería Magreñán to gain in efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. AENOR issues us a certification N° ER 1411/1999.
ISO 14001
With its concern for the environment, Tonelería Magreñán is constantly improving its environmental performance through the control of the impact of its activities on natural ecosystems. AENOR issues us a certification N° GA 2002/2012.
ISO 22000
Tonelería Magreñán has set up a food safety management system in accordance with ISO 22000. This standard emphasizes the skills of the staff and the continuous search for information concerning food products based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis – Critical Control Point). Tonelería Magreñán received support from the European Regional Development Fund for the implementation of the ISO 22000 standard.
