Definition: Merrain

Cooperage term.

A blank from which staves and barrel bottoms are made. This blank is obtained by splitting.

Wood for staves: it all starts in the forest. The choice of logs for staves is essential. Freshly felled logs are selected according to numerous criteria: the shape of the trees, knots, frost damage and the fineness of the grain. Upon arrival, the logs are stored in the open air in a log yard.

The manufacture of staves: first, the logs are cut to length. Then each log is split along the grain, in the direction of the medullary rays. The selected staves are stacked so that air and water can circulate on all sides between the different pieces.

Open-air storage is necessary for a period of 30 months to expose the wood to all weather conditions (rain, sun, frost) and ensure natural ageing, i.e. to remove the acrid, green taste and overly aggressive tannins. Plank split from a block of hardwood, usually high-quality oak, along the grain.

The staves are used to make the barrel staves. The specialist who practises this trade is the cooper. His expert eye enables him to select high-quality oak trees in large forest areas. The cooper fells the selected trees, prepares them into logs and then cuts them into billets. These are split, then trimmed and thinned. The grain must be suitable for barrel making. Fine-grained oak staves are used for barrels for maturing fine wines. Coarse-grained staves are used for ageing cognacs and armagnacs. The stave maker delivers his staves to cooperage companies.