Montilla and wine craftsmanship

Cooperage is used to make wooden containers with a rounded shape, assembled with metal rings. Artisans make barrels, casks, tubs, buckets and other objects related to wines or liquids. It's a centenary artisan trade, and although machines have been introduced that help with the toughest tasks, the way of doing things and the tools have not changed in centuries.

The Montilla-Moriles designation of origin has a long history of cooperage, with origins in the 17th and 18th centuries, although it grew in the 19th century due to the need to preserve and repair large-capacity barrels. These are the butts, which are stacked in the cellar for soleras and criaderas, a system for ageing finos, olorosos and amontillados.

In addition to being the container in ageing cellars, casks are perfect for transport. In this way, when travelling in casks, a notable volume of wine can be moved without losing any of the peculiarities that make them so sought after. Smaller barrels, of 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 litres, are also made to be used in homes.

The casks and barrels are made of French or American oak wood which, due to their qualities, allow wines to properly age. The porosity of this wood produces a small decrease in water in the wine and, as a consequence, an increase in the alcoholic degree. In addition, it allows the components of the wood to impregnate the wine with nuances of flavour and aroma.

There are three cooperages that can be visited in Montilla: José L. Rodríguez, Juan Pino and del Sur cooperages. This is a great opportunity, before visiting the wineries and the famous Montillan taverns, to learn about the history of what you are going to drink.

But its not just the cooperage that remains in Montilla. There is an annual artisan meeting in the Contemporary Art and Wine Centre (Envidarte), where the mastery in forging, carpentry, saddlery, costume jewellery and leather goods is evident.