The Patz & Hall Stave Wood Program

At Patz & Hall, we believe that oak is an essential component of fully articulated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The dilemma for many winemakers is that new oak barrels can easily overwhelm the wine, while used ones may not successfully balance the amount of oak with the fruit flavors in the wine. We use primarily custom French oak barrels made from our own stave wood, air dried and seasoned to our specifications for three years by the François Frères Cooperage at Saint Romain in the heart of Burgundy.

These custom barrels add a very complex, spicy, sweet oak component to the wine without the drying tannins or astringent "woodiness" found in many other barrels. Stave woods dried for three or more years impart more complex aromas such as clove, cinnamon, and vanilla to the finished wines. In addition, the softness of these older and softer woods helps build beautiful texture and an extended, creamy finish to both our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bottlings.

Extended aging of the stave wood—eighteen months longer than the typical barrel stave—requires that we maintain, at our own expense, a three-year supply of wood at all times. The extra steps we take allow us to use a majority of new oak barrels, while producing fully expressive wines.