Cooperages 1912 has said it is committed to supporting wine barrel clients through the evolving tariff environment, announcing its strategy to promote stability, continuity, and long-term partnerships.

“In this dynamic global environment, our priority is to remove uncertainty for our customers,” said Richard Shelton, director of sales and operations at Cooperages 1912.

“These strategic measures are designed to give winemakers the confidence to move forward without disruption, knowing we’re investing in solutions that protect both quality and consistency.”

As part of its commitment to “build enduring relationships based on trust, transparency, and shared success”, the company is implementing the following measures:

Offsetting tariffs on imported barrels

In a “proactive” move to protect clients from added financial pressure, Cooperages 1912 said it will not pass on the 20% tariff on EU-imported goods for its French-made barrels – Tonnellerie Quintessence, Tonnellerie Tremeaux, Maison Moussié.

The company will also absorb the 10% tariff on Australian-imported goods for their Heinrich Cooperage barrels made in Australia.

Cooperages 1912 said this initiative ensures its clients can continue sourcing from its global barrel portfolio without disruption, with the initiative to remain in effect throughout 2025.

Guaranteed 2025 pricing for USA-made oak barrels

Prices of French and American oak barrels produced at Cooperages 1912’s domestic cooperage, World Cooperage and TW Boswell, will remain “steady” and carry guaranteed pricing for the 2025 vintage. To ensure stable production costs on French oak barrels, Cooperages 1912 has pre-shipped a plentiful supply French oak staves from its company-owned mill in France. Volume pricing will be extended to all TW Boswell barrel orders.

Extension of custom oak barrel program

For clients seeking to minimise tariff-related risk while maintaining winemaking consistency, Cooperages 1912 is extending its Custom Barrel Program through the TW Boswell brand. This program offers fully customisable French oak barrels, crafted in the US from a selection of oak staves. With support from its Napa-based lab and oak R&D team, Cooperages 1912 develops a custom barrel to mirror clients’ desired organoleptic profiles. This program is also available for American and European oak barrels.

Features include organoleptic profile matching through collaborative development, complimentary GCMS analysis on oak samples, fully-custom branding options, and guaranteed delivery timelines.

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