White Oak Wine Casks and Tanks

Wine casks and tanks are incredibly grand, stately vessels. Reaching up to 14 feet above the ground they are crafted from the finest oak and represent a substantial investment to a winery and its winemaker. Historically they were the only vessel used for fermentation and storage of wine; but many wineries prefer the control of modern stainless steel tanks and smaller barrels, which are easier to move and maintain.

Often, the wine casks and tanks we recover are the original vessels from the founding of a winery. They range from 1,700 to 10,000 gallon capacity and were built over a period spanning the past three centuries. Constructed of quarter-sawn white oak, the staves were worked by skilled craftsmen and bent into shape over an open fire. Look closely at our furniture and you’ll see the hand drawknife marks from their original makers that we have carefully preserved.

Our first opportunity to work with the white oak wine cask material came in 1991 when we dismantled the tanks at the Italian Swiss Colony Winery in Asti, California (a California Historical Landmark, established in 1883). Currently, our inventory consists of material from six different California wineries, made of great oak trees from as close as Mississippi to as far away as France and Hungary.

The process for constructing a cask is similar to that of its smaller brother, the barrel. (Learn how a cask is made.)

Next: History of the Materials

How to Buy: Call (707) 822-7307

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