wine barrel

Fontenay Creates Wine Barrel Flooring

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Wine, Architecture & Design

There are certainly better ways to show off your oenophile passions and good design sense than a wine cork board, namely, Fontenay's flooring made from vintage wine barrels.

Selling itself as the "the only provider of reclaimed wine barrel flooring and countertops in the world," Fontenay offers three types of wood choices in its Vintage Barrel Collection. The Cooperage line takes its wood from the barrel heads, leaving intact the cooper stamps, various marking and an aged patina. For the Wine Infusion line, material from the barrel's inside is used. Naturally stained due to contact with the wine, the effect is a mosaic of juice-soaked colors. Finally, the Stave collection consist of the barrel's exterior wood strips, straightened to form boards, and then engineered to create flooring. These floors display the grains, age marks and a rustic distressing. Since no two planks are the same, in any of the lines, installation creates a unique finish best suited for wine cellars, tasting/dining rooms or kitchens. Fontenay also offers furniture, including wine racks, created from barrels.

With reclaimed wood being the au courant, green-minded design material of choice these days it's nice to see a product that has such a recognizable provenance being used in such an innovative way.

Gallery: Fontenay Wine Barrel Flooring

Tags: custom, flooring, reclaimed, wine, wine barrel, wood, wood floors

Luxury Barrels For Aging Wine

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Swarovski crystals have now even come to the world of wine making. In addition to being stuck on the bottles, now you can buy then in the shape of a Swarovski crystal bung, the stopper on top of a new luxury limited edition wine barrel from French cooperage Radoux. The luxury X-Blend barrel is made from French oak from a selected secret forest and the oak's toast is determined by the buyer. The barrel also has leather strips that overlay the metal hoops. It was displayed at the Vinitech wine equipment and technology show in Bordeaux and sells for 1200 euros which is double the price of a normal barrel. A maximum of 100 will be made each year and Decanter reports that 20 were sold at Vinitech. I'm not sure what they would be used for, for display or perhaps to create some ultra-pricey vintage. While I respect the art of the cooper and great barrels are important in producing some great wines, the crystallized bung seems like overkill to me.

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Tags: radoux, wine barrel, WineBarrel

Win A Pair Of Wine Barrel Cufflinks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

In these days of casual wear, cufflinks aren't quite the hot item they were many years ago. But the popularity of television shows like Mad Men are helping bring back the glamour. I'm certain I'm not the only woman who finds a man wearing cufflinks a little more attractive. And they aren't just for men. I've been wearing cufflinks for years, some I've collected over the years and some that belonged to my father and stepfather.

Today's giveaway is a pair of cufflinks which are made from authentic wood wine barrel staves and set in sterling silver. The barrels come from vaious wine regions including Napa and Sonoma County. They are from Cufflinks.com which has cufflinks that range from classical sailor knots to fire extinguishers, crystal skulls, and for this election season, cufflinks that let you proclaim your vote for McCain or Obama.

To win these cufflinks, tell me about what what wine barrel you'd really love to wear a piece of.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before Friday, October 24, 2008 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive the Wine Barrel cufflinks valued at $120.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest has now ended, thank you for your participation.

Tags: cufflinks, giveaway, wine barrel, WineBarrel

Full Bodied Cabinet

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

This cabinet is definitely a must-have for a wine lover. Wine barrels are often discarded after a few years of use, but this one was reworked into a great cabinet/end table. The barrel stands just over three feet high and has a door that opens to one side, revealing an inner storage shelf and plenty of space for just about anything that needs storing. On top of the white oak barrel is a removable maple serving tray, so the barrel can be used as a serving station at a party, as well as as a simple storage device. Price: $850.

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Tags: end table, maple, oak, reclaimed, recycled, serving, table, wine, wine barrel, wines

Recycled Wine Barrel Wine Bottle Rack

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Wine

This is another type of recycled wine rack, handmade out of two extra-wide barrel staves with a barrel lid for a base. The Recycled Wine Barrel Wine Bottle Racks are constructed from high-quality reclaimed oak wine barrels, finished to protect the wood and insure its longevity, and reinforced with a metal rod. Color and texture varies from rack to rack, influenced by not only the grain of the specific wood, but the wine that the barrel once held. Adding to the authenticity of each rack is the unique imprint, in the form of a logo or label, on the head (lid) of the barrel that acts as the base of the rack. Racks like these are not only functional and eco-friendly, but are truly works of art. Price: $500.

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Tags: art, decor, environment, oak, recycled, sculpture, wine, wine barrel, Wine Barrel Wine Bottle Rack, wine rack, WineBarrelWineBottleRack, wood