Barriques Jean Thoulouse

Oak and acacia barrels
Since 1989, Toulouse, France

2026 offer: 225 liters barrel at 690€*







Contact us for your custom projects
*VAT excluded, Toulouse(France) departure .

Selection and aging: a proper identity

As for wine and vineyards, climate, nature of the ground and the hand of man give personality to the wood and thus the renderings obtained in vinification and aging.

"Sessile" oak

The "Sessile" oak: the finest essence for barrels.

Commonly known as French oak or sessile oak, it is the essential reference for wine barrels. Originating from low mountain ranges, it is distinguished by its dense wood and tight grain, offering a modern and subtle approach to winemaking.

Forest

Woods from the Balkan's forests

We have been working for about 30 years in Bulgaria, a small Balkan country that is a member of the European Union. The very contrasting climate, hot and dry in the summer and very cold during winter, is very favorable for the cooperage woods. Indeed, trees grow slowly, which results in high density woods with fine grain and elegant aromas suited for wine barrels making.

Acacia

Acacia casks : as beneficial to rosés as they are to whites.

We are proud to have worked for the rediscovery of acacia as a cooperage wood . Vinification or aging in acacia barrels reveals more freshness and fruit aromas on the nose and palate, respecting the identity of all dry white wines, late harvest or rosés thanks to the essence's delicacy.

Mobirise

Tradition
& Innovation

The concern for specificity and authenticity is permanent throughout the wood-aging process and manufacturing. Barrels' bending or heating are made by means of braziers fed with the same oak or acacia wood. We practice long heat, guaranteeing rounder renditions: low, medium, medium+, or strong. For better preservation of their organoleptic properties, the woods are not parboiled before assembling the barrels.

Respect for traditions does not mean immobility. We seek for innovation every day, as shown by our research carried out on the microbiological aspects of the aging of the woods, the specificity of the renderings of the woods according to the massifs of origin, the specific or comparative results of the breeding or vinification of white wines or red wines in our oak or acacia barrels. Innovation is everywhere with our futaille for "premium wines", our wooden vinification sets with minimal use of stainless steel for the sake of cost control, our mixed oak and acacia barrels for vinification of white wines... and we will continue to do so. 

Learn more

Our oak barrels:

Staves


Presentation

Icons of cooperage, our Sessile oak staves come from specifically selected low range mountain forests with its own characteristic terroir.
Our "Excellence" range matures them in-house for between 24 and 36 months. 

Aging

Our oak barrels, with their subtle and elegant woodiness, are prized for their respect for the fruit and the terroir. They can bring out the best in your wines, whether for short aging periods, thanks to their discreet oak influence, or for longer aging periods, thanks to the finesse of their tannins. Their supple character is typical of the Balkan terroir; vanillin and whisky lactones are prominent, pleasing on the nose and luminous on the palate.

Utilisation

Traditionally used for red wine vinification aging or, oak barrels are also very popular for dry or soft whites wines due to the finesse of their aromas. Our range of wine barrels is also available in acacia wood, with subtle and fruity notes or mixed wood essences.

Discover our range of acacia barrels as well.

<- Click here to request our comparative studies. ->

Acacia wood cask: an old use

Barrel




Presentation

Most people think the acacia barrel is a recent discovery, but in fact, it's nothing like that. We can already see its appearance in 1861: "We never put Hermitage in old barrels.. For white wine, mulberry and acacia seem to agree better than oak." (Burgundy Wine and Wine Review, Dijon 1861, pp. 585.602.) In Sauternes, the "bordelaises" were shaped by the local coopers with acacia wood growing on the edge of the Ciron. Some of these centennial barrels are still used in the cellars!

Breeding

Its elegant, floral aromas have long been showcased by the centuries-old honey production of these regions, and our cooperage now brings them to the fore once again in the use for wine barrel production.
Acacia barrels reveal their full nobility when aging white and rosé wines, imparting floral and delicately acidic aromas. Unlike Western European acacia, selected for its rapid growth, Balkan acacia is distinguished by its fine grain and a greater density. This characteristic limits exchanges and ensures a subtle and controlled infusion. Blending with oak unveils a new range of possibilities capable of captivating advised tasters and enchanting the palates of a larger range of consumers with controlled investments. 

Acacia is, by definition, an "eco-friendly" wood.

It thrives on siliceous soils and reaches maturity in just 25 years. Aging wine in acacia adds roundness and texture on the palate, while preserving the wine's fresh fruit character. The result is a wine that pairs beautifully both as an aperitif and throughout a meal.

Our product offering :

Each type of wine barrel is available in three finishes: 24- or 36-month aged oak, acacia wood, or a blend of oak and acacia for optimal integration of the two woods with the wine.

For extended aging of tannic grape varieties or highly extracted wines, we recommend the 36-month-old oak range. The greater suppleness of the tannins in these aged staves will preserve the aromatic balance of your wines throughout the entire aging process in oak barrels.

Available from 400L in our oak and acacia barrel ranges, be sure to check out our barrel aging kits!

Barrel park

Staves 27 mm:
    "Bordelaise de transport" 225 litres
    "Bourguignonne" 228 litres
     300, 400 litres

Staves 32 mm:
    500, 600 litres

Staves 35/37 mm:
    800 litres
    10, 20HL

- 150 mm hatch diameter
-1 silicone bung with a diameter of 150 mm.
-a wood clamp held together by stainless steel bolts
-a wooden cradle with rilsan wheels on metal cradles 

Beers & Spirits:

Spirits

The (re)discovery of acacia

It was during an exchange with our cooper that we had the opportunity to taste a grape eau de vie, aged in acacia barrels:

              "After ageing, transformation is total, the traditionally clear and raw eau de vie evolves towards a slightly amber digestive.The alcohol content feeling is reduced from 55° to 40°, with an aroma similar to that of Armagnac, enhanced by notes of honey and white flowers."
Our customers have successfully used it on rums, gins, and whiskies.

In the premium beer segment, maturation in mixed oak and acacia casks has provided our customers with a new tool for differentiation with a unique tasting character.

Acacia represents an innovative and gourmet alternative for the maturation of beers and spirits, which we are convinced will delight the taste buds of both flavor explorers and tasters looking for authenticity.
  

Burning

Whiskey & Bourbon


Used by bourbon producers as well as malted whiskey producers, charring involves igniting the interior of an oak barrel during the toasting phase to achieve one of four different levels.

From the first level "char 1" to "char 4", also called crocodile skin because of the marks that appear on the wood, they add new notes of vanilla and caramel in addition to profoundly altering the nature of the wood. 


Jean Toulouse Barrels: A Reliable Alternative to Used Barrels


Looking for used barrels to control your budget without compromising on quality? Jean Thoulouse offers an economical alternative to used barrels with a complete range of high-quality barrels, with up to 30% savings compared to similar offers.
Unlike used barrels, whose history and actual condition can vary, our new barrels offer complete traceability and consistent, controlled aromas: a reliable, sustainable, and competitive solution for discerning winemakers and distillers. Choosing a new barrel at an optimized price ensures the security of your aging process while controlling your investment. Unsure whether to choose new or used barrels?
Contact us for a personalized quote and discover how our new barrels can meet your technical and budgetary objectives.  

Contact us

We are a small artisanal cooperage, contact us for your custom projects!

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Mobirise

Contact

barriques.thoulouse@orange.fr
+33 5 61 06 54 13

Address

31 rue du prilloume
31 100 Toulouse
France


© Barriques Jean Thoulouse 2026 | Avantages & Différence - with a capital of 61,200 euros - Siret 351 570 288 00016