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Historic
Cellar- History
 This
wine cellar is a compound of several subterranean naves dug 12 metres below
ground level in the old part of Aranda de Duero.
They were excavated around the XIII – XIV Centuries, although the first written
evidence about the existence of this kind of cellar in Aranda dates from the
XVth Century.
Their main purpose was to preserve the wine, but in some occasions they were
used as a shelter or as a way to get out of the city walls.
There is evidence that this particular cellar was used to produce handmade wine
up the year 1900. Then, from 1903, the process became more industrial and in the
year 1929 the means of production and technologies underwent a refurbishment
process and this winery became one of the first ones to bottle in glass and to
use mechanical systems of de-stemming and pressing.
All these processes took place upstairs and then the “carriers” had to take it
down to the wine cellar using sheep skins. The point of wine sale was also
upstairs, the carriers the had to bring it up to the customers.
This production system was used from 1965 to 1970, when cooperatives are born
and the traditional way became obsolete.
It was the year 1995 when the ambitious project of restarting winemaking in the
wine cellar was considered. The idea was to produce handmade quality wines using
the up-to-date technologies under the Designation of Origin Ribera del Duero,
and this is how Bodegas El Lagar de Isilla were born.
 The
naves were dug during the hard long winters by the village people, when it was
not possible to work the land due to the snow and ice.
The clay stone was excavated until a seam of sandstone was found where the naves
started to be dug.
The way down to the cellar consists of an ashlar barrel vault that descends 59
steep steps.
In each gallery there is a hole up the surface. These are called “Zarceras”
which keep the cellar ventilated and in order to maintain the constant
temperature and humidity levels. Also, in each nave or intersection there are
ashlar or brick arches that were built to reinforce the ceilings. Some of these
are very characteristic for being crossed or twisted.
Temperature in the cellar varies between 12 to 14ºC and humidity remains
constant at 85%.
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