Napa, Calif.—After nearly 40 years in the cooperage business, Vincent Bouchard has released his own brand Master Coopers. The company’s inaugural barrel Master Coopers Produit de Bourgogne is now being used in more than 70 winemaking programs, according to a statement released by Bouchard Cooperages, which represents the brand.

“When a barrel is at its best, the fruit is the star of the show,” Bouchard said. “What I wanted to achieve with the Master Coopers recipe is a complete integration of wood and wine throughout five stages of tasting: the nose, the front palate, the mid palate, the finish, and what in Italy we call the “retro gusto,” where the wine comes back after spitting. … The barrel will play an important role, much like a full orchestra in front of the stage; but the spotlight will be on the stage itself, where fruit and terroir play the leading roles.”

Master Coopers Produit de Bourgogne barrels feature 100% 3-year air-dry French oak and are available with a “slow blue” toast for Chardonnay and other whites and “slow red” for Pinot Noir and other delicate and aromatic red wines.