Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/111102
BEST BARREL SUPPLIER * SEGUIN MOREAU Founded in 1870 and 1838, respectively, the individual Seguin and Moreau cooperages were joined in 1972 under the auspices of brandy firm Rémy Martin. In 1986, due to the growth in the California wine market, the cooperage set up full-time representation in the Napa Valley, and less than a decade later, the Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage was established. The company's motto, "Inspired by the past, built for the future," reflects Seguin Moreau's philosophy of blending tradition with modern technologies. As L. Seguin Fil said in 1870: "The mechanical manufacture, by machines equipped with the latest developments, with all work carried out mathematically, is a perfect complement to handcraft." Research is an important element of Seguin Moreau's product development strategy. Since the 1980s, Seguin Moreau and the Faculty of Oenology of Bordeaux (known today as the Institut des Sciences de la Vigne et du Vin University of Bordeaux) have worked together to research wine-wood interaction, which has revealed information about the importance of grain tightness, toasting and proactive maturation. The cooperage has since partnered with universities worldwide to apply results to wineries' barrel programs. Seguin Moreau Napa Cooperage operates a full-time laboratory on site, and has recently expanded its research and development team. The company is also committed to sustainability, from forestry management to cooperage practices to producing the CarbonNeutral line of barrels. Among the company's latest product innovations is an expansion of the ICÔNE program, a method of chemical analysis of wood's extractable substances to identify oenological potential. BEST CORK SUPPLIER + BEST BOTTLE SUPPLIER * M.A. SILVA USA Sonoma County-based natural cork, glass and packaging manufacturer M.A. Silva USA holds the distinction of winning "Best of" honors in two categories: Best Cork Supplier and Best Bottle Supplier. Along with its Portugal-based partner M.A. Silva Corticas, the M.A. Silva family has a 40-year history of cork production. Vertically integrated from cork forest management through all aspects of production, M.A. Silva is known as an innovator in cork processing technology. M.A. Silva's cork is sourced from trees under exclusive, long-term grower contracts, which ensures control and certified quality, from the time the trees are peeled to the delivery of finished corks. A full-service mechanical and organoleptic test lab, housed in the company's Santa Rosa-based facility, helps further that level of quality control for North American customers. Collaboration between M.A. Silva staff members and researchers across Europe and the United States has resulted in the development of some of the most technically advanced cork processing facilities and equipment in use today. The company's efforts – a combination of forest management, technology, processes and training – have made significant advances toward eliminating TCA issues, in addition to improving the beauty and performance of its closures. M.A. Silva also offers a portfolio of glass bottles – the newest addition to the company's product line. Offerings include proprietary molds for consistent quality, cork-to-bottle fit assurance and in-factory quality control, 24/7. 40 V I N E YARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | Mar - Apr 2013 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m