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Know-how
The expertise of master coopers is essential to create a quality cask
This ancestral craft has evolved over time but remains faithful to the tradition of a trade that dates back to the 9th century. Thanks to innovation and new technology, Tonelería Murúa’s processes are becoming increasingly operational, functional and sustainable. However, the knowledge of Tonelería Murúa’s coopers is still essential to obtain a high quality barrel with a guarantee.
Since before the arrival of the wood at Tonelería Murúa, everything has been under control. The beginning is in the forest. At Tonelería Murúa we have long-standing suppliers with whom we have been working for decades and with whom we visit regularly. This relationship and trust allows us to choose which forests and trees we want to receive for our customers.
Since before the arrival of the wood at Tonelería Murúa, everything has been under control. The beginning is in the forest. At Tonelería Murúa we have long-standing suppliers with whom we have been working for decades and with whom we visit regularly. This relationship and trust allows us to choose which forests and trees we want to receive for our customers.
THE WOOD:
On receipt of the timber at the cooperage, the physical parameters of the boards are checked, such as width, thickness and length, as well as quality parameters: colour, mineral grain, grain size, knots, cracks or any kind of imperfection.
THE WOOD:
Depending on the quality of the wood, it is restacked in shingles in the drying yard so that it loses moisture slowly and evenly. Tile stacking, unique to TonelerÍa Murúa, has been tested in research with the INIA (National Institute for Agricultural Research), demonstrating that the final result of the barrels is more homogeneous when using this type of stacking.
THE WOOD:
The re-stacked planks are kept in the yard for 24-60 months depending on the type of wood and the barrel we want to make. The planks dry and mature slowly and progressively. Exposed to the inclemency of the weather, they lose the astringent tannins that can give bitterness to the wine. The natural growth of certain fungi on the surface of the planks allows an ideal maturation for high quality wines.
THE WOOD:
When the wood enters the production process there is a new selection of the boards that will form a barrel, separating those boards that after planing have any defects.
The cooper fires the barrels for a long period of time, which the master will control according to the winemaker’s specifications for each barrel. The toasting is what will convert the components of the wood into aromatic precursors that will be transferred to the wine during its ageing.
All the fire is generated by the oak, which gives the toasting a unique personality. The cooper controls this fundamental phase in the process thanks to his experience, giving homogeneity to the toasting of the whole barrel and avoiding the formation of blisters or breakage of the staves.
Trust between oenologist and cooper is essential to ensure that each barrel is adapted to the type of wine the oenologist wants. Tonelería Murúa has customised the toasting for each winery and it is repeated year after year. We only make barrels to order, as this is the only way to ensure the characteristics required by each winery.
In Toneleria Murúa we continue the traditional method taught to us by our grandparents, we continue to put natural bulrush between the boards of the bottoms to avoid leaks.
The coopers select the boards that will form each bottom.
The expert cooper will fit each barrel bottom to each barrel. It takes experience and expertise to properly fit each barrel bottom.
2024 © Tonelería Murúa, S.L.U.
[hfe_current_year] © Tonelería Murúa, S.L.U.