Every AMÉDÉE product begins its journey in the forest. Long before oak is shaped into chips, staves, or inserts, it grows slowly in the ancient forests of France, developing the grain structure and chemical properties that will one day define its interaction with wine.
Merrain: an exceptional wood
The term "merrain" refers to split oak wood destined for cooperage and oenology. Unlike industrially sawn timber, merrain is split along the grain, preserving the cellular integrity of the wood. This ancestral method ensures natural impermeability and optimal grain quality for contact with wine.
Our oaks come from the great French forests: Allier, Tronçais, Vosges, Centre-France. Each forest terroir gives the wood distinct characteristics, just as viticultural terroir influences the grape. The wood grain, its density, its tannin composition and aromatic compounds vary according to geographic origin, climate and soil.
Maturation: 36 months of patience
Once split, the merrain enters a crucial phase: open-air maturation for a minimum of 36 months. This step is essential. Exposed to the elements, cycles of rain, sun, frost and heat, the wood undergoes a profound transformation:
- The most aggressive tannins are leached away by rain
- Bitter compounds oxidise and degrade naturally
- The wood develops an aromatic complexity impossible to achieve artificially
- The cellular structure softens, allowing more harmonious extraction
This 36-month patience is a commitment we do not compromise on. Methods exist to accelerate wood drying, but none can reproduce the richness of prolonged natural maturation. It is this duration that makes the difference between wood that brings quality to the wine and wood that simply imposes woody markers on it.
From merrain to finished product
After 36 months of maturation, the merrain is ready for transformation. This is where AMÉDÉE's specific expertise comes in: controlled toasting according to our Primary Colour profiles. Each toasting profile reveals different compounds from the wood:
- Gentle toasting preserves the tannic structure and fruity character
- Medium toasting develops vanilla and spicy notes
- Intense toasting brings out toasted, caramel and smoky profiles
The combination of wood origin, its 36 months of maturation and the toasting profile creates the unique sensory profile of each Primary Colour. It is this quality chain, from forest to cellar, that guarantees the consistency and excellence of our products.
A sustainable commitment
Using merrain in the form of oak barrel alternatives is also a responsible choice. By using wood as staves, inserts or chips, we utilise a far greater proportion of each tree. A bicentennial oak that would produce around ten barrels can, in alternative form, treat up to 40 times more wine. Each tree is thus used with discernment, respecting the forest resource.