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Austrian cooperage creates first wood & stone barrel
© Matthias Köstler
For more than 90 years, the Schön cooperage in Lower Austria has been creating the perfect vessels for fermenting and ageing fine wines from carefully selected wood. But the world of wine is changing, and with it, consumer tastes. Powerful flavours and tannins are no longer as sought after – fruitiness and freshness are the new standard. A challenge for cooperages that has only just been solved with Schön’s invention of a patented ‘hybrid barrel’ made of both wood and stone.
Manuel Schön (29) is himself part of the younger generation of wine enthusiasts who appreciate precise fruit and fine aromas. He and his sister Jennifer are the fourth generation to run the Schön cooperage, whose traditionally crafted barrels are sought after by winemakers worldwide. But Manuel Schön did not want to rest on his laurels despite having nearly a century of barrel making craftsmanship in the family. And so, he developed a new wooden barrel that would take these contemporary wine styles into account while incorporating the undisputed qualities of ageing in wood.
Schön isn't reinventing the wheel – just his wine barrel
After several years of hard work, Schön has found an innovative answer to one of the burning questions in the wine industry with his ‘hybrid barrel’. His latest patented creation is a barrel that combines the advantages of the classic wooden barrel with the stylistic influence of alternative vessels such as clay amphorae, concrete eggs and stone containers.
The barrel: a duet of wood and stone
After an extensive development and testing phase, including with project wines from young winemakers in 2024, the Schön family's patented ‘hybrid barrel’ is now ready for the market. Classic oak staves are combined with stone slab bases. This creates a novel ageing process that guarantees a unique aroma profile. The barrel combines two materials that have been used in winemaking for centuries but are rarely associated with each other.
The wood
For the wood used in the staves, the Schön cooperage uses oak from Austria, France, Germany or Croatia. The wood is gently toasted at 140 °C / 284°F, then the first layer is removed to provided structure to the wine without any intrusive notes.
The stone
The bottom of the hybrid barrels is made of stone slabs: with regional considerations in mind, slate and granite were chosen. “Stone is the calming element. It hardly lets any oxygen through, does not require toasting and allows the wine to settle in peace. It brings clarity, sometimes even a subtle saltiness,” explains Manuel Schön.
The combination of wood and stone is tailor-made according to each customer’s requirements. Various types of wood, toasting and stone are available. When the influence of the wood diminishes, the hybrid barrel can be re-covered: the wooden body is renewed, while the stone remains. An approach that reflects Schön's sustainable and resource-saving philosophy.
The result: a new style for modern wines
The special features of the hybrid barrel are easy to recognise: the barrel allows for more reductive ageing, as the stone slabs allow significantly less oxygen to pass through than wooden bases. This results in wines that are fresher and clearer in expression but still offer the desired aromas from wood ageing.
The barrique-sized hybrid barrel costs around €1,200. Due to the use of stone, it weighs 88 kilograms, which is around a third heavier than a conventional 225-litre barrel.
The future: rethinking craftsmanship
“The hybrid barrel in its current form is just the beginning,” explains Manuel Schön. “We are already receiving enquiries for barrels with marble inserts or even fermentation tanks with concrete lids. It's great to see how we can bring a breath of fresh air to our craft as we move into the future.” The possibilities are almost limitless, and a wide variety of materials can be used.
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