The Spirit World

Recall that in my article last month, I summarized the history and production process of the Spanish wineskin, or “bota.” And then I hit you with a teaser–that I would, during the following month, provide enlightenment by means of the ten commandments of bota care and use–as told to me by 80-something year old Madrid resident, Julio M.

Well, it’s time to pay the piper. So here they are.

I. THOU SHALT NOT INFLATE A COLD BOTA.
Never! When deflated, the two-sides of the bota will touch and, being covered with pitch, stick together.

If you forcibly inflate a cold bota, you will likely tear the pitch from one of its internal walls. The end-result: a bota that can’t hold its liquor. A bota should be heated with a dry heat source (e.g., the summer sun or a heater duct) in order to soften the pitch before inflating.

II. THOU SHALT “CURE” A BOTA BEFORE THE FIRST FILLING.
When you first unscrew and sniff the inside of a new bota, it smells like a freshly paved parking lot. “Curing” removes (or, at least, drastically reduces) this unappetizing bouquet. To cure a bota, pour in a cup of wine and a cup of brandy or cognac. Let it sit for two to three days, flipping the bota every 12 hours or so, and discard.

III. THOU SHALT NOT STORE SOFT DRINKS IN A BOTA.
This is both sacrilegious and bad for the health of your bota. Soft drinks will eat away the pitch. Botas should only hold wine or liquors with an alcohol content less than 25 percent.

IV. THOU SHALT NOT LEAVE AIR INSIDE A WINE-FILLED BOTA.
Ignore this commandment if your goal is to dress a salad. There are two ways to avoid this problem. The most effective is to drink your bota dry during the same day that you fill it. Practical as this option may be, traffic police frown upon it.

The next best solution is, after a good long drink, to hold the bota vertically with the spout pointed upward and gently yet steadily squeeze the bottom so as to force the wine upward. When you see the first drop of wine rising from the spout, screw on the cap.

V. THOU SHALT NOT HANG A BOTA.
If you hang a bota, the pitch will drip down to, and accumulate in, the bottom. The result will be a bota that seems to have swallowed a tennis ball. A bota should be stored flat and horizontal. If the bota is empty, then it is a good idea to cover the spout with a small piece of plastic wrap before screwing on the cap. If the bota should accidentally slope downward and a drop of pitch migrates down and out of the spout, the plastic wrap will prevent the pitch from welding the cap shut.

VI. THOU SHALT NOT WASH AN EMPTIED BOTA.
Soapy water will taint the pitch and, obviously, your next gulp of wine.

VII. THOU SHALT NOT PUT WHITE WINE IN A RED WINE BOTA.
And vice versa. This is one of the few instances where the practice of segregation should be encouraged.

VIII. THOU SHALT NOT BLOW CIGARETTE SMOKE ONTO A BOTA.
Most Spaniards break this commandment, but it is still good advice. The bota’s leather absorbs cigarette smoke like a sponge. I once bought a bota from a smoky Barcelona bar.After several weeks of airing out, it still smelled like the Marlboro man’s finger. That smelly bota, for which a Spanish goat bravely gave its hide, ended up in the garbage, unused.

IX. THOU SHALT NOT PUT GOOD WINE IN A BOTA.
The bota will impart a slight pitch flavour to any wine that it is filled with, so save your gran reserva for a crystal decanter. Nonetheless, pitch flavour or no pitch flavour, a less-than-stellar wine always seems to taste better when fired into the mouth from a bota held at arm’s length.

X. THOU SHALT NOT RUB A BOTA WITH SUNTAN LOTION.
Don Julio concedes that few people would do such a preposterous thing, but his son-in-law once broke this commandment and ruined his bota. He therefore felt compelled to warn others.

And that’s it! So, show a little respect!

Slung over the shoulder during a sunny day’s hike, a handcrafted and well-maintained bota will provide its owner with years of bacchanalian pleasure.

And stuffed under a ski parka during Spring Break, a handcrafted and well-maintained bota will provide its owner with years of rehab for the torn ligaments on his right knee.