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CO VER S T OR Y a cooper splits french oak at taransaud mill in segonzac, france. Hungarian oak must be split in the same manner. Hungarian oak All Hungarian oak is European, but not all European oak is Hungarian. European oak can be of Russian, Romanian, Slova- kian or Hungarian origin. Hungarian oak typically costs 30%- 40% less than French oak. Both are the same sessile oak species, quercus petraea. As winemakers know, the longer you age your wine in oak, the tighter the grain of the barrel should be. Since Hungarian and French oak are both quercus petraea, their tightness of grain is potentially the same. Paul Frommelt, sales director of Trust International Corp. from West Palm Beach, Fla., who also represents Treuil, Marc Kennel and AP John Barrels, said that Trust focuses on specific wood sourc- ing and consistent toasting regimes. Trust also has significant investments in all the equipment and people involved from the tree in the forest to the finished barrel. Ac- cording to Frommelt, "Hungarian oak is truly a no-brainer for any winery." Aubin of Artisan Barrels says great care is taken when Hungarian oak is milled. "We focus on tree age and grain when purchasing wood. Split or quarter-sawn makes a difference. Hungarian staves should be split rather than quarter-sawn, because that's the way the French do it. Since Hungarian oak is the same species as French, there is more leaking potential if it's quarter-sawn," he said. Sandor Vadai of Barrel's Best-Vadai World Trade Enterprise in San Gabriel, Calif., attributes the quality of Hungarian oak from the Zemplén forest to how the trees grow. He selects wood from higher elevations in the steep and rocky Tokaj mountains. "You need to select wood that grows slow and straight and has to struggle," he said. "The harsh conditions cause these oak trees to grow approxi- ÉLEVÉ EN FRANCE COOPERED IN CALIFORNIA Visit www.tonnellerieo.com to learn about our French oak barrels and schedule a private tour of our new California cooperage. 531 Stone Road, Benicia, CA 94510 | 707.752.6350 office | 707.746.7471 fax | info@tonnellerieo.com Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2011 31 TARANSAUD