I'll drink to that where we get behind the scenes of the beverage business.

I'm Levy Dalton.

I'm Erin Scala and here's our show today. Oh, It can't be underestimated how intertwined the oak and the wine are in the Rioha wine region.

Spain has a long history of winemaking dating back thousands of years,

but amphoras and animal skins were the primary vessels for fermentation and

transport until about 250 years ago. In 1786, a wealthy priest named Manuel Quintano spent time in Bordeaux evaluating how

winemaking differed there than in Spain.

And he brought back, among other things, techniques of oak aging, fining, and racking.

He believed that by racking and fining, you removed particles that contributed to the wine's

ability to go bad. A find and racked wine could age longer and be more travelworthy.

His family began using the techniques he recommended, but they didn't become widespread until after his death.

By the late 1800s and early 1900s,

very large oak casks were the norm in Rioja.

These huge wooden tanks often stood on stilts and in the event

of a stuck fermentation a small fire lit underneath could help move things along. You can still see such vessels on display at La Rio Alto.

The oak tanks were large enough for a few people to climb in from the top,

making them easy to clean, and they were built for long-term use.

Over time, tartrates were meant to build up on the inside

forming a thick insillary layer, preventing oxidation and the imparting of wood flavors.

These gigantic wooden tanks can still be seen all over Rioja.

A few bodegas, such as Lopez deherheridia still use these large wooden tanks.

Some of them are several generations old.

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