SHOCKINGLY, every barrel company thinks theirs are "the best".
Reality is that there is a point where saving money on barrels is counterproductive. Amortize the delivered cost of that barrel over a five year period divided by the number of bottles which it produces. A $1275 (delivered) barrel with a five year lifespan costs you $ 0.88/ bottle. For a savings of $ 0.24 a bottle, is a lackluster barrel really saving you anything?
What happens when you tell the customer, "That wine needs to lay down" because the oak is sharp, overbearing, unintegrated burlap and smoke mixed with green sap and burnt marshmallow? I'm exaggerating on purpose to make a point. I have passed on wine purchasing opportunities when I felt like the oak was driving and I had no idea where we were going before. I can't be alone in that.
If you are bored and want to talk barrels, let us know!