Tartine-Style vs. Classic Sourdough

The modern artisan sourdough movement has two dominant styles: the Tartine school (high hydration, dramatically open crumb) and the classic European school (moderate hydration, balanced crumb). Both are legitimate. Both are excellent. They're different breads.

The Tartine school

Named for Tartine Bakery in San Francisco and Chad Robertson's books. Defining traits:

• Hydration 78–85%+
• Long bulk fermentation with frequent folds
• Wildly open, irregular crumb
• Glossy, blistered crust
• Often baked very dark
• Country loaf as the canonical shape

The bread looks like a magazine spread. It feels modern.

The classic European school

Centuries-old. Defined by traditional French, German, Italian, and Eastern European bread:

• Hydration 65–75%
• Moderate fermentation, simpler folds
• Even, balanced crumb
• Crisp but more matte crust
• Baked to deep golden, not necessarily mahogany
• Various traditional shapes

The bread looks like the bread your great-grandmother knew. It feels timeless.

Side-by-side

Bake the same recipe two ways:

Tartine version:

• 80% hydration
• 4 sets of folds in first 90 minutes
• 5-hour bulk
• Cold proof 18 hours
• Bake at 500°F → 450°F, dark mahogany

Classic version:

• 70% hydration
• 2 sets of folds at 30 and 60 minutes
• 5-hour bulk
• Cold proof 12 hours
• Bake at 475°F → 425°F, deep golden

Different breads. Both delicious.

The crumb difference

Tartine-style: large, irregular holes; some up to 2 inches across; thin, glossy walls between holes. Cut a slice and hold it to the light — you can see through parts of it.

Classic: even, moderately open structure; holes mostly ½-1 inch; thicker walls; consistent throughout the loaf. Slices cleanly; better for sandwiches.

The flavor difference

Tartine-style: more dramatic crust contribution; lighter crumb interior; emphasizes fermentation acid notes.

Classic: more balanced; bread flavor stronger; less acidic; tastes more like wheat.

Which to choose

For showing off photos: Tartine.

For eating sandwiches: classic.

For holding spreads, butter, dipping in soup: classic.

For pulling apart with hands at a dinner: Tartine.

For weekday eating: classic. The bread is more practical — easier to slice, holds together, fits in a toaster.

For weekend luxury: Tartine. The bread is more dramatic.

What both schools agree on

• Fresh, high-quality flour matters
• Long fermentation develops flavor
• Cold proof is helpful
• Steam in the oven matters
• Score deliberately
• Cool fully before cutting
• Bake darker than you think you should

The technical requirement

Tartine-style requires more skill:

• Handling 80%+ hydration dough
• Lamination instead of simple folds
• Confident shaping of wet dough
• Temperature control
• Reading subtle cues

Classic style is more forgiving:

• 70% hydration is easy to handle
• Simple stretch-and-folds work
• Any cylindrical or round shape works
• Wider tolerance for variation

Recommendation

Start classic. Master 70% hydration loaves. Get five solid bakes in a row.

Then try high hydration. If it appeals to you, push it. If it doesn't, stay classic.

There's no wrong answer. The best bakers can do both. Many find their style somewhere in between — 75% hydration, balanced fermentation, good crumb that's open but not wild.

A blended approach

A 75–78% hydration country loaf with one set of laminated folds in the middle of bulk gives you:

• Some of the open crumb of Tartine
• Most of the practicality of classic
• A loaf that's beautiful and useful

This is where most thoughtful bakers eventually land.