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The Murúa Hub is the place where professionals from the sector meet to exchange knowledge and experiences about wine ageing. Murúa dedicates time in this cooperage meeting place to disseminate techniques and knowledge about wine ageing to groups of technical professionals, universities and oenologists.
What do we do in the activity centre?
On this occasion, the meeting with 35 Business Administration and Management students focused more on the history of Murúa as a family business, as the aim in this case was to bring them closer to our business model and the strong values behind it. Thanks to this initiative of the AREF and the Chair of Family Business at the University of La Rioja, the students had the opportunity to visit the plant, where they learned about the complete process of making a barrel.
They were then welcomed by Elena Ceca, who spoke in more depth about how, since its beginnings, Murúa has been able to integrate innovation, social responsibility and internationality thanks to efficient and quality management.
We had a lovely day with MAVEX, Asociación Mujeres Amantes del vino de Extremadura in Almendralejo.
We are grateful for how this association promotes the culture of wine and its responsible consumption.
Without a doubt an experience to remember, it was a pleasure to meet you all!
The sommeliers were accompanied by José Ramón Jiménez Berger, The Wine Educator, while the meeting with the ADE students from the University of La Rioja was organised by the Asociación Riojana de Empresa Familiar (AREF), of which we are recent members.
Both visits were an opportunity to show the work we do at Murúa, from the management that has allowed us to grow since 1898 to the craftsmanship behind each barrel, its value and its importance in wine ageing.
THE VISIT OF THE SOMMELIER STUDENTS
On arrival the group listened to a presentation about the cooperage by our manager, Elena Ceca. She talked about each of the stages involved in the process of making a barrel, focusing mainly on the oak, its origin and varieties. Thus, they were able to know and understand the journey that takes place from the time the wood leaves the forest until the final piece is delivered to the winery in question.
After this more theoretical part, the sommeliers were able to visit the Murúa facilities with our sales manager. During their tour, they saw in detail the work of our master coopers, and were particularly impressed to discover that many tasks are still carried out by hand. They were also very curious to learn about technical details such as times, temperatures and the use of the swimming pool.
The Wine Educator, their teacher, stresses the usefulness of these activities, as they are more practical and, in the case of Murúa, it helps them to put a face to the origin of the aromas that they then analyse in class. Moreover, having a visual reminder of how a barrel is made gives them security, confidence and professionalism when dealing with customers and defining the tasting notes of a wine.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING AT MURÚA COOPERAGES
In addition to these two training activities, during the rest of the year we organise other meetings, such as those for oenology students from the University of La Rioja or Master of Wine students. On some occasions we have also had children with high abilities come to see us.
Before the pandemic, we were able to meet the students of the Master’s Degree in Oenology from a university in Madrid, whom we hope to receive again soon when the situation allows it.
Visits like these help us to highlight the value of our history and our trade while creating links with other institutions and companies. In this way, we ensure that learning flows in both directions, since listening to the doubts, questions or concerns that arise during the training sessions also helps Tonelería Murúa.
Tonelería Murúa has extensive experience in the manufacture of barrels (220 L), which began a hundred years ago and which it now wishes to complement with larger capacity containers such as larger barrels (500 L) and casks of up to 12,000 litres, which can be used for vinification and/or ageing.
To this end, it has organised these technical conferences aimed at oenologists and technical directors of wineries, in order to broaden their knowledge of these containers to improve the quality of wine.
The study carried out the quantitative analysis of 21 volatile compounds extracted from the wood in the five white varieties considered with a total of 131 wines analysed, and the sensory evaluation by 25 wine professionals of all the samples.
The analytical results obtained on ageing time, type of wood and type of toasting in each of the white varieties studied were very conclusive, as were the tasting conclusions drawn by the panel of 25 professional oenologists.
True to its mission to contribute all its knowledge and experience to the world of wine, Tonelería Murua has actively collaborated in sponsoring a workshop on blending in collaboration with the Rioja Winemakers Association and Bodegas Valdemar.
In the Institutional Winery of La Grajera, the renowned chemist, oenologist and specialist in wine composition by tasting, Ignacio de Miguel Poch, was the protagonist of this activity. Such was the interest of the oenologists that the registration places were sold out within an hour.
All the attendees were very positive about this workshop, where they were able to reflect, learn, learn and experiment. Tonelería Murúa wants to collaborate and make its knowledge available to them, so that they can continue to create extraordinary wines.
Analysis of the aromatic composition and sensory evaluation carried out on Garnacha Blanca, Viura, Chardonnay, Suvignon Blanc and Verdejo. Results in Aromas and Qualities.
With the collaboration of the Aroma Analysis and Oenology Laboratory LAAE-University of Zaragoza, Bodegas Tobía and ADER. Our Cooperage presented the results of this in-depth study on aromas and the influence of wood at the Finca La Grajera facilities.
With an attendance of more than 90 wineries through their managers and oenologists, the study satisfied the interest of these professionals, giving rise to an interesting debate and discussion during the wine afterwards.
The study presented the quantitative analysis of 21 volatile compounds extracted from the wood in the five white varieties considered and a total of 131 wines analysed, together with the sensory evaluation of 25 wine professionals.
One of the many activities carried out by this cooperage has to do with young oenologists. These students, belonging to the University of La Rioja’s Degree in Oenology, spent a day in the company of the Tonelería Murúa team of professionals in May 2015.
The Degree in Oenology has a strong practical component, which is carried out both in the University’s own facilities (experimental winery, experimental fields, tasting room, laboratories, etc.) and in wineries, cooperages and other auxiliary industries.
Subjects such as viticulture, oenology, technology, engineering, chemistry and oenological microbiology coexist with others linked to management.
The visit to the Cooperage is a technical tour that begins in the wood yard where the wood is dried naturally and continues in the manufacturing plant, where the different Murúa processes are shown.
At the end of the tour, students, teachers and team members take part in a wine tasting session that challenges the organoleptic knowledge of the young professionals.
To this end, it has organised these technical seminars aimed at oenologists and technical directors of wineries, in order to broaden their knowledge of these continents to improve the quality of wine.
The study carried out the quantitative analysis of 21 volatile compounds extracted from the wood in the five white varieties considered with a total of 131 wines analysed, and the sensory evaluation of 25 wine professionals of all the samples.
The analytical results obtained on ageing time, type of wood and type of toasting in each of the white varieties studied were very conclusive, as were the tasting conclusions drawn by the panel of 25 professional oenologists.
Tonelería Murúa participated as a guest company together with the companies Librerías Santos Ochoa and Viveros Provedo in a day of sharing good practices in front of a large business audience.
During the morning session, in the Assembly Hall of the Federation of Entrepreneurs of La Rioja, various presentations were given on management practices, with Murúa’s presentation on the lean production method and its differential processes standing out.
Tonelería Murúa frequently receives professionals related to the sector. In this case, it received customers and distributors of Bodegas Pagos del Rey from the United Kingdom. The UK is a country interested in both Spanish wine culture and winemaking.
Seeing the work behind each barrel gives a better understanding of what it means to drink a wine aged in wood.
The Freixenet Group, through Bodegas Solar Viejo, sent MOLSON COORS and THORLEY TAVERNS, wine importers from the United Kingdom, to Murúa.
Throughout the visit and subsequent tasting, it was possible to show the process of assembling a barrel, as well as the differential aspects compared to non-crianza wines.
This Association, one of the largest in Spain, along with that of La Rioja, is also a professional association that is alert and interested in the mechanical aspects of the assembly process, as well as the physical aspects, such as immersion and toasting.
But Murúa Hub is also there to disseminate innovation, showing Ribera winemakers the main research carried out.
On Monday 4th March, students and future sommeliers from the Burgos school visited Tonelería Murúa’s facilities and processes.
There is a great interest in learning about the world of wine, but also about everything that revolves around it, and the barrel is an essential element when it comes to quality wines.
Murúa was visited by the winemakers of the Languedoc area.
After learning about the process, the winemakers congratulated the company for maintaining the cooperage tradition as it has been done in France for many years, especially the selection of wood and the finishing of barrels.
2024 © Tonelería Murúa, S.L.U.
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