PORTRAIT
Christine NADALIÉ
Christine Nadalié is not your typical oenologist… She is gifted with the ability to form a mental picture of a huge diversity wines from the Medoc Chateaus, associating their flavours with the secrets of the ancient art of coopery.
The “secrets of the wood” have been passed down over five generations. Here, the men and women of the Nadalié family manufacture the famous oak barrels required for the region’s wines to mature.
Nathalie is a naturally passionate advocate for her profession: she knows what is expected of her, with an instinctive appreciation of the relationship between wine and wood. She has visited countless estates, meeting winemakers and tasting wines in order to better understand her role
Hours of artisanal work goes into sourcing the worthy, natural raw material (oak), shaping the staves, and the all-important “mise en rose”.
This precise workmanship prepares the barrel for toasting: from light to intense, this process allows winemakers to select a barrel to suit their wines.
The barrel is the casing that enhances the wine within, allowing it to release its own, unique flavours, a bespoke bouquet of aromas.
Despite years of experience, she still finds the alchemy of the process as fascinating as she did the first time.
