Drinking Wine from a Bota
Leather Bota Bag
Credit: Amazon
If you’ve ever tried to carry around a wine bottle in your pocket and received many funny looks, then you know that it’s simply not the best way to do it. Instead, consider using a bota.
The bota is a Spanish invention traditionally used to carry and drink wine. A true one is made from goatskin, created by some master craftsman, and makes you yearn for better times. The bota imparts a slight pitch flavor to wine and must be used in a certain manner to make sure it lasts. As described by Julio M., a wizened and wise old man:
- Thou shalt not inflate a cold bota.
- Thou shalt “cure” a bota before the first filling.
- Thou shalt not store soft drinks in a bota.
- Thou shalt not leave air inside a wine-filled bota.
- Thou shalt not hang a bota.
- Thou shalt not wash an emptied bota.
- Thou shalt not put white wine in a red wine bota.
- Thou shalt not blow cigarette smoke onto a bota.
- Thou shalt not put good wine in a bota.
- Thou shalt not rub a bota with suntan lotion.
While this list is likely not comprehensive (thou shalt not run over a bota with a semi truck), it should give you an idea of how to use this traditional method of transporting wine while tending your flock of sheep.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:22 am
I had a good friend in college who used one of those to sneak booze into the student movies!
Also, I’ve had friends who ski tell me they’re great for the slopes (Although they didn’t mention what, if any, injuries resulted).
Speaking of skiing…shouldn’t you be zipping through some powder instead of blogging?
January 18th, 2007 at 10:23 am
I’m tempted to try this for skiing, too. I sometimes carry a hip flask, but I can tell you from experience that it’s really bad if you fall on it.
The lifts don’t open for another hour.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:33 am
Ha! I had visions of you dangling on a chair lift while you pecked away on a laptop with mitten-covered hands!
January 18th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I haven’t seen a bota since graduating from college in 1964. A buddy and I carried one around Europe that Summer. We probably broke every rule quoted in your blog, except the proscription against washing. It really didn’t seem to matter much to us. I remember that we did have to practice a bit before we could be sure that the stream started and ended in our mouths.