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04.02.2015

Radoux’s gift of a nex container for the oldest wine in the world

 

A historic event took place on 21st January 2015 in the Historic Cellars of the Hospices de Strasbourg. A 1472 vintage wine, considered the oldest in the world, was transferred into a new cask.
This work of art was created by two coopers (X. Gouraud, twice Meilleur Ouvrier de France and JM Blanchard, Compagnon du Devoir and Meilleur Ouvrier de France), an illustration of the excellence of Radoux’s craftsmen.

The fact that the Hospices de Strasbourg entrusted the team with such a project is further proof of the cooperage’s position as world leader in barrel making thanks to its know-how and reputation.
 
Xavier Gouraud (on the left) and Jean-Marie Blanchard (on the right) from Tonnellerie Radoux took up the challenge and created an identical replica of the old cask ! Photo ©Gérard Brauer.
 

This cask was made entirely by hand, using the tools of Robert Radoux, who founded the Cooperage in 1947. Photo ©Gérard Brauer.
 
Tonnellerie Radoux provided the top quality staves from the Allier forest free of charge to build this replica.  
The wood was rinsed several times to wash away the tannins and aroma for it to be as neutral as possible.  A very gentle and slow toast was then applied so as to avoid altering the taste of this precious nectar.

It was of course out of the question that they take the original cask apart in order to reproduce an identical pièce. Thanks to their know-how, expertise and ingenuity, the two master coopers worked using templates, a meter rule and photos. Not only was the whole project a complex one, but the time they had was limited : only 4 months to select the wood, build, joint, make the cask watertight, toast, finish…
 

 
 

Pélagie Hertzog, the Hospices de Strasbourg’s Master Cellarman, with the team from Tonnellerie Radoux, during the transfer of the wine into its new cask. Photo ©Gérard Brauer.
 

The event was reported widely in the media: 
 

 
 

Tonnellerie Radoux
10 avenue Faidherbe
17500 Jonzac
France
rx@radoux.fr

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