Type of site:
Archaeological site linked to wine production
Place of location: The rocky hill of Cogote de Las Pilas
Village/Town: Santa Eulalia Somera
Municipality: Arnedillo (La Rioja)
Region: La Rioja
State: Spain
Website: https://www.arnedillo.org/patrimonio-cultural/lagares-rupestres-del-cogote-de-las-pilas/
Natural Environment:
The site is situated in the heart of the Cidacos River valley, in an area of alluvial deposits and rocky outcrops that is now covered with olive and almond trees; it was once carpeted with vines that provided the grapes for making the prized wine. Today it forms part of the Cidacos Valley Biosphere Reserve, in the eastern Rioja Baja. Upstream, the River Cidacos begins its journey through narrow, winding valleys. At Arnedillo, the valley begins to open out and transforms into this landscape of wide, fertile plains stretching as far as Autol. The waters of the Cidacos, flowing down from the mountains, have deposited in these soils the nutrients necessary for a thriving and fertile agricultural industry to flourish here. In this landscape of wide valley, the rock occasionally outcrops; it was used to carve out these primitive wine presses.
Archaeological evidences in the site:
Rock wine presses are large rocks into which troughs have been carved to extract the grape must by treading and pressing. This is a rustic and rudimentary process dating back to the earliest days of winemaking. The extraction process took place in the very same spot where the grapes were harvested, which is very different from how things are done today, as the must is now extracted in the wineries themselves. The cellars are located in the villages themselves, where it was easier to access the wine consumed on a daily basis. In a place like this, therefore, only the must was obtained, which was then transported to the village cellars for fermentation. This type of rocky outcrop (which rises above the surrounding land) is what is traditionally known in this region as a ‘cogote’. Thus, the name ‘Cogote de las Pilas’ means a prominent rocky outcrop where ‘pilas’ – rock basins for making must – have been carved out. The rock here is an impermeable sandstone that is soft enough to be easily carved and hard enough to withstand intensive use. This combination of characteristics has allowed these wine presses to survive in a good state of preservation, albeit heavily used.