Large containers
Large containers

Our craft cooperage in Cognac offers wine tanks and vats made of French oak and boasting countless innovations, along with the option of PEFC certification.

Made of 100% French oak, our wine tanks and vats benefit from the ancestral expertise found at our craft vat cooperage in Cognac. After being carefully selected from forests by our buyers, the timber is sawed at our Ronchamp sawmill and transformed into batches that are left to dry naturally for several years at our maturation yards in Ronchamp and Cognac. After trimming and jointing, performed at our workshops, the process of making these ‘titans’ can begin.

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READY-MADE SERVICE

A range of vats and tanks in standard dimensions, perfectly pre-equipped for easy use: SEGUIN MOREAU’s expertise in concentrated form, simply put !

  • OPTIMUM

    Building on its vat-making experience, SEGUIN MOREAU developed the OPTIMUM ranges to meet the most common requirements as simply as possible. They are divided into vats ranging in size from 10 to 60 hl in open or closed designs, and the tanks are available in 10 to 50 hl in a round or oval shape.

TAILORED SERVICE

As an expert cooper in making French oak vats and tanks ranging from 10 to 750 hl, our French roots have enabled us to develop expertise in the spirits market (cognac, armagnac, rum and more). Over the course of fifty years, this experience has extended to producing large containers for vinifying and maturing fine wines, as well as beer and cider.

  • YOUR PROJECT, OUR EXPERTISE

    From selecting the wood to installing the containers, the creativity of our design engineers, the skill of our artisan vat makers, and the reliability and meticulous care and attention of our cooper assemblers are all put to use to benefit you. Tailored to maturation and winemaking, our models are assembled using a hammer and hoop driver, ensuring efficient tightening and perfect watertightness. They have sandwiched doors and hatches, without screws or bolts, allowing for perfect hygiene and lasting watertightness. The steam-tightened upper ends of our vats and tanks are convex or concave to prevent air pockets and withstand pressure !

LATEST ADDITIONS

SEGUIN MOREAU, a pioneer since 1838, is also a trendsetter for large containers. It therefore regularly proposes new additions to its range of large containers: new toast levels, new products, new accessories – explore our newest innovations.

  • Steam tightening

    The latest addition to the large container workshops, the steam bending cabin offers lighter heating for large containers of up to 80hL. An additional step after stave assembly, the cabin not only bends the staves, but by adding moisture to the wood will impact the toasting realised afterwards.

  • GALILEOAK

    SPHERICAL 15HL OAK VAT

    From selecting the oak to the finishing process, SEGUIN MOREAU has poured all of its expertise into the GALILEOAK. This sphere with its thick staves has benefited from a unique, patented manufacturing process, in particular thanks to an exclusive clamping system. The staves undergo steam bending, and then the GALILEOAK is assembled and equipped with a stainless steel hatch and a window offering a look inside the tank. The various stages in the fermentation process are on view, a unique experience ! A true work of art pairing technical prowess with innovation, this will add a unique touch to your winery.

TOAST LEVELS

Tailored to the dimensions of large containers, the toasting process takes several hours. This long-term approach, the very principle underlying the cooperage and winemaking trades, is one of the key factors behind the quality of our ranges. Find out more !

  • FIRE

    Assembled around a brazier, the large container is initially tightened then undergoes bousinage: this toasting process can take up to an entire day for the largest containers. The temperatures inside and outside the barrel body are regularly measured during the toasting process.

  • STEAM

    The steam-bending cabin offers an alternative to fire-toasting for our large containers up to 80 hL, by limiting the amount of toast added. The tank or cask is then placed in the cabin for a few hours. Under the effect of the steam, the wood gains in flexibility, enabling bending without risk of breakage and without contact with a flame. At the end of this stage, the large container is then placed on a brazier for the bousinage stage, so as to freeze the deformation of the staves (plastic deformation), but without the addition of aromas specific to toasting, thanks to the steam still present at the heart of the staves.

OUR SPECIALITIES & PATENTS

As a vat maker since 1877, SEGUIN MOREAU has gained expertise that is recognised across the world. This longevity and the experience gained has enabled it to offer relevant solutions and patented innovations, as well as both technical and aesthetic advantages.

  • THE BENEFITS OF SEGUIN MOREAU

    • Hoop fitting with a hammer and hoop driver
    • Tightening of ends
    • Sandwiched installation of doors and hatches
    • Hatches flush with the bottom head for easy, safe running off
    • Total coverage with stainless steel top head
    • Automated yeast stirring system
    • And more…
  • CLEAR STAVE

    Allowing every stage of the winemaking process to be directly viewed, the clear stave also enables vat filling to be monitored: a perfect patent for both practicality and winery tours.

  • HATCHES FLUSH WITH THE BOTTOM HEAD

    Offering the same benefits as the other hatches on offer, namely U-frame assembly with no screws or bolts, this hatch also makes running off easier and offers safety benefits.

  • WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
    Christophe CAPDEVILLE
    Operational Director - Château Brane Cantenac
    "What prompted us to work with Seguin Moreau was our trust in their organisation and teams, who have always proven extremely responsive and attentive with us since 1997."
  • WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
    Christine DERENONCOURT
    Owner - Domaine de l'A
    "At Domaine de l'A, we acquired oak tanks a few years ago for our winemaking vat room. Over time, the wood has changed and so have we, and our vats needed to be restored, both physically and aesthetically. A smiling, professional team from Seguin Moreau came to breathe new life into these big, old containers made from the noble wood, the Oak. The coopers: dedicated craftsmen with a passion for this craft, worked for days on dismantling, sanding, repositioning the hoops, planing and finishing. It's an invaluable skill that must be passed on to future generations.”
FIND OUT MORE
  • Array
    Our patents and publications

    As a pioneer with its scientific approach, SEGUIN MOREAU conducts research and innovates to continually improve its understanding of the world of wines and spirits.

  • Array
    Advice

    Get advice on how to use our products, and much more.

  • Barrels

    Whether cognac, whisky or brandy, our barrels for spirits are made at our craft cooperage in Cognac.