In the first of three articles this week about oak, Matthew Hayes shares the secrets of making, and selling, barrels. Above, François Frères' barrels-to-be.
Oak is a very small word with huge connotations, especially in Burgundy. When I started in the mad, bad world of international wine-broking, Burgundy was astir. It was the golden age of Robert Parker. Richness, extraction and power were all the rage – everywhere. I remember being slightly shell-shocked at my first large tasting in Gevrey-Chambertin in 1998. Was this what burgundian delicacy was all about? The wines were not quite pea-soup, but certainly not...