“Stretch” the Teulada muscatel so that it conquers Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao
It is one of the few traditional crafts left. The image is not far from that of the raisin warehouses of the 19th century. Then that sweet agricultural product traveled by sloops and steamboats to Great Britain and New York. The women now surround a round and revolving table. They cut with scissors the ugliest grains of the golden clusters of the Muscat of Alexandria grape. The grape will travel to the markets of Madrid, Barcelona or Bilbao. The task of these women, known as “stretching”, is essential for the spectacular Muscatel grape to enter the eyes. The clusters are beautiful. They are very carefully placed in the wooden boxes. Exquisite paper “shirts” (the raisin ones were also) wrap this great agricultural treasure of the Marina Alta.
This task of “estissorar” is pure ethnology. This newspaper was yesterday in the warehouse of the agricultural company La Falla, in the urban center of Teulada. This town is the one that keeps the Muscatel tradition alive. The harvest has been underway for weeks, and this year it has come a long way due to successive heat waves. And also, of course, the work of “stretching” has had to be advanced. It consists of cutting the ugliest grains with scissors and making the bunches, so perfect, look like wax.
The women are very clever. This traditional trade has historically helped rural women to socialize and become aware of the value of their work.
Vicenta Oller Buigues, who is responsible for this warehouse, stresses that all the workers are registered. This warehouse has its doors wide open. “Here we are very calm,” says Vicenta. The women work, chat and are very aware that their work is crucial for Muscatel to conquer the most demanding markets.
Vicenta explains that this year she began to “stretch” on August 7, which is a couple of weeks earlier than usual. Normally, this task lasts for two and a half months. However, this year less grapes have been harvested and the “estissorar” will be finished in mid-September.
Vicenta points out that her son Vicente Coello Oller, 36, is the one who runs this agricultural company. He is one of those few young people who defend agriculture and the muscatel tradition and who rebel against the widespread abandonment of vineyards and crops.