🐝 Tronçais Forest
An oak forest in central France, redeveloped under Colbert for navy timber, whose wood now goes into barrels.
The Tronçais Forest is an oak forest in central France, in the Allier department. It belongs to the State, is managed by the National Forests Office (ONF) and is famous for the quality of its oaks.
In 1670 the minister Colbert ordered the forest to be redeveloped. Oaks were planted and sown to produce timber for the navy over a cycle of about 200 years.
The ships are long gone, but the wood now goes into barrels. Part of the cognacs and Bordeaux wines are kept in oak barrels made from trees of this forest. The finest oaks are also used in cabinet-making.
Tronçais shows how forest and vineyard are linked: for wine and brandy, not only the grape matters but also the tree the barrel is made from.
How it connects to Wine
🐝 Tronçais Forest ← then ← 🐝 French oak → kind of → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🍷 Wine
Links
- Previous step
- 🐝 French oak
- Part of
- 🐝 French oak
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Tronçais Forest?
In central France, in the Allier department.
Why was the Tronçais Forest redeveloped?
In 1670 the minister Colbert ordered oaks to be grown there for navy timber, over a cycle of about 200 years. Today the wood is used for wine and spirit barrels.
What is Tronçais oak used for today?
For barrels: part of the cognacs and Bordeaux wines are kept in oak barrels from this forest. The finest oaks also go into cabinet-making.