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About
Excellence and Distinction you can Trust.
Trust Cooperage draws on the heritage of Hungarian forests and generations of cooperage expertise to craft premium, handcrafted barrels. Every barrel is carefully air-dried and coopered to enhance structure, aromatic complexity, and balance.
Trust Cooperage Barrel Collections
Trust Hungary crafts a superior product by following each barrel from forest to finish.
Trust Cooperage, established in Hungary, crafts a superior product by following each barrel from forest to finish, utilising only the finest quality Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur oak.
Forestry & Log Management
The university of Sopron has been educating Hungarian Forester engineers for over 200 years.
The education includes doctoral and research programs regulated at a national level. Each log is individually bar-coded for complete traceability, backed by over two decades of Trust’s cooperation with privately owned forests to ensure unique access and a sustainable supply chain.
From the ancient oak forests of Hungary, and the partnership between two families committed to excellence.
Trust brings together oak of the finest quality to create internationally recognised, handcrafted barrels.
Based on the proud heritage of the Hungarian forest and their historical link with the French wine industry, the Molnar family have forged very close links with the most prestigious Hungarian forests to source premium Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur logs. Together with the François group they have developed a very modern cooperage operation based around its own stave mill, with an excellent yard for naturally air-drying oak. The skilled staff, utilising traditional techniques combined with the state of the art technology produce an internationally recognised barrel.
Trust is renowned globally in the “traditional varieties” of Chardonay, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cabernet, and Merlot, but not so widely recognised in this market is their success with the alternative varieties, especially in Italy, Hungary and other Eastern European countries.
The Carpathian Oak Advantage
The cooperage works exclusively with Quercus Petraea and Quercus Robur sourced from prestigious, sustainably managed Hungarian forests like Zemplén and Mecsek. These forests are predominantly state-owned and managed through sustainable partnerships with Hungarian forestry companies. Hungarian oak is prized for its high density and tight grain, which often sits between French and American oak in its impact, offering more spice than French barrels but with a less overpowering aromatic profile than American wood. This makes it a practical choice for winemakers who want to build mid-palate depth and "brown spice" notes like clove and cinnamon.
Long-Term Natural Seasoning
Patience is a core technical requirement at Trust, where staves undergo a minimum of 24 to 36 months of natural, open-air seasoning. In the seasoning yard at Szigetvár, the oak is exposed to specific temperature variations and rainfall that help naturally leach out aggressive tannins. For premium programs, Trust offers selections seasoned for up to 48 months, resulting in a barrel that integrates seamlessly with the wine and provides a smooth, opulent mouthfeel.
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Technical Data
| Location | › Szigetvár, Hungary › 46°02’36.81″N › 17°48’54.68″E |
|---|---|
| Climate Description | › Rainfall: 640mm per year |
| Temperature Range | › Maximum Temperature +/- 30°C (summer) › Minimum temperature +/- 0°C (winter) |
| Barrel Sizes Specifications | › 225l Bordeaux, 6 hoops, 27mm staves, 46kg › 228l Burgundy, 8 hoops, 27mm staves, 51kg › 300l Hogshead, 8 hoops, 25/26mm staves, 60kg › 500l Puncheon, 8 hoops, 25/26mm staves, 80kg |
| Seasoning Description | › Minimum 24 month in open air, at the stave yards at the cooperage. › Staves are stacked loose and regularly rotated to ensure ventilation. › During dry weather conditions fresh spring water is used to irrigate staves. |
| Bending Practice Fire/steam/water | › Barrels are formed and toasted using open flame over braziers only. |
| Grains | › Medium › Tight › No. 1 Very Tight Grain › Special Selection › Prestige (specific forest selection) › Prestige collection: Ingenieux specialty barrel › Five Star specialty barrel |
| Toasts | › Medium › Medium Long › Medium+ › Heavy › Toasted Heads available |
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Products
The Heritage Collection
Hungarian Oak
Only the highest quality, tight-grain oak is chosen for the Heritage collection. The subtle and elegant complexity of the sought-after Hungarian oak is complemented by a traditional fire-bending process. The oak-fire-bent staves are slowly roasted over an oak fire, with a range of toasted and untoasted heads available.
The resulting barrel enhances wines with a round mid-palate, generous finish, and refined oak aromatics, adding structure and personality to any variety.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 225 Litre Chateau Ferre
- 225 Litre Chateau Traditional
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 228 Litre Burgundy Traditional
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
The Prestige Collection
Ingénieux
The Ingénieux barrel from Trust is an interpretation of France. While no single forest region or grain profile is emphasised, the barrel begins with oak sourced from the centre of France and is then shaped into Blanc and Rouge options. A long seasoning regime and careful coopering produce an elegant barrel.
The Blanc barrel is characterised by sweet vanilla, fruit-forward notes, hazelnut, a rich mouthfeel, and a long finish.
The Rouge barrel features lifted fruit, linear structure, mocha, and a lingering finish.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
Prestige Barrels
Since 2001 Trust has evaluated the enological profiles of different Hungarian forests. The Prestige barrel program is derived from this decade-long commitment to understanding Hungarian oak.
Selected from a special area of Hungary, this barrel is uniquely designed to enhance red varietals. Its defining signature includes dark fruit flavours, linear tannins, a structured, rich mouthfeel, and a long, lingering finish.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
Reserve
The hand selection of very tight grain oak personifies the best of Hungarian oak and its rich history.
Designed for long maturation periods the unique elegant and subtle tannin profile supports the wine bringing balance and length. This Super Premium barrel will bring out the best of the terroir and aromatics of any variety.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
Grand Reserve
A very tight grain selection of the Heartwood or Pinkwood of the tree. This oak selection is designed to enhance the primary fruit characters of the wine. The extremely fine tannin profile of the heartwood playing a supporting role in balancing the mouthfeel and lifting the aromatics.
Complimented with a medium or medium light toast the perfect barrel for lifting and supporting premium fruit.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
The Scientific Collection
Five Star
The Five Star barrel from Trust represents a revolution in the art of barrelmaking.
Fruit-driven, richly layered, and opulent in mouthfeel, it combines five toast levels scientifically matched to multiple oak origins. The barrel emphasises fruit flavours, minerality, and terroir-driven characters.
Available in:
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Export
- 225 Litre Bordeaux Thin Stave
- 228 Litre Burgundy Export
- 300 Litre
- 500 Litre
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Contact
Your Trust Cooperage Specialist
Speak to Tony Worthington, our Trust Cooperage specialist, for a personalised product experience. If you have any questions about Trust Cooperage oak products or the rest of our range, please don’t hesitate to contact Tony:
Mobile: 0498 579 501
Email: tony@classicoakproducts.com
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