On another busy day two of filming in Spain, we visited a cooperage and two wineries. A group of us also got the chance to explore the beautiful town of Montilla.
We began our morning with breakfast, of course, at Don Ramiro Hotel. From there, we loaded on the bus to our first destination of the day, Juan Pino Tonelería. This is the biggest cooperage in the area, making it an essential stop for filming B-Roll and interviewing the face of the company, Juanjo Pino. This location was a favorite among the crew due to the endless amount of content. We saw barrels galore and got an up-close view of the toasting process that brings the shape of the cask together. While Groups A and B conducted interviews, the remaining groups gathered footage from outside the cooperage and inside at each important station where men worked to create the barrel.
Following the cooperation, we visited Perez Barquero where the sun finally shined through the rain clouds. This winery was founded in 1905 and is known for its generous wines and also sparkling wine and brandy aging as well as their production of vinegar. Perez Barquero refers to themselves as the soul of wine and grows their own grapes. They pride themselves on their genuine taste and innovation of wine production. They are a leader in exports in the Montilla area, selling their products in 55 markets within 5 continents. In the United States, they are featured in states such as Florida, California, Texas, and PaceDocs home of New York! While filming, we saw conveyor belts bottling wine, cellars of wine and brandy, and the interview took place in the winery’s tasting room with authentic casks inside and a selection of their finest wines. The buildings beautifully resembled the soul of Perez Barquerro featuring stained glass and tiled art depicting the long-standing tradition of wine production.
After our sunny winery visit, we headed to Bodegas Robles Winery. While some stayed outdoors to film the vineyard, others gathered in the wine cellar full of massive barrels. Known for their production of organic Montilla-Moriles wine, we learned about the albariza, special calcium rich soil, that defines the wine of the region. For those who spent time outside, they found their shoes covered in the mud from the land. Meanwhile, those in the spiderweb ridden cellar found themselves avoiding the black substance on the ground which we named the “Barrel Sludge”. Overall, this location gave us valuable insight into the grape production that contributes to the wine in the area.
Finally, while some team members stayed behind at our makeshift production room at the hotel to log footage, others gathered the gear and hit the town of Montilla for a guided tour. This gorgeous town we are currently stationed in had stunning views overlooking the country side of the region. Our crew got the best few in town at the Montilla Castillo, a historical castle that sat upon a hill. Afterwards, we explored the narrow cobblestone streets that were full of shops, restaurants, and unique architecture. As we turned each corner, the smell of fresh orange blossom was present. We even got to stop at a supermarcardo to get some authentic Spanish snacks!
When all the filming is done for the day, we are not! Logging, logging, and more logging. Shaping the story. Sharing our journey through social media including writing this blog post! This all happens behind the scenes. And while it is a lot of work, it will be rewarded as we begin the edit in post-production the minute we set foot back in the States. It was another busy day in the books for PaceDocs with many more to come. Stay tuned for more stops on our trip in Spain and don’t forget to follow along on our social media.