{"id":21390,"date":"2026-04-14T11:55:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T11:55:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.logico2.com\/?p=21390"},"modified":"2026-04-14T12:04:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T12:04:30","slug":"the-spanish-cooperative-protecting-lives-without-losing-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.logico2.com\/de\/the-spanish-cooperative-protecting-lives-without-losing-tradition\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spanish Cooperative Protecting Lives Without Losing Tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Wine Culture in Villamalea<\/h2>\n

Villamalea is in La Manchuela, one of Spain\u2019s oldest wine regions. Its Mediterranean climate, with hot days giving way to cool nights, creates ideal conditions for wines with exceptional freshness, acidity, and fruity notes.<\/p>\n

This region has nurtured viticulture since Roman times. Today, wine remains the foundation of the local economy, supporting many small vineyards across generations. \u201dWine is essentially the economic engine of Villamalea,\u201d explains Ruben Albiar Nohalez, chairman of the SAAC cooperative.<\/p>\n

But wine in Villamalea is much more than simply a product. It is, as the documentary\u2019s participants describe it: essence, family, celebration, and the central pulse of a farmer\u2019s life. For winegrower Gerardo Bueno Garc\u00eda, wine is \u201done more member of the family\u201d, one that demands the same tender care given to a child.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt represents the very nature of the existence of our people. Settlements only came to be here through the presence of the vine,\u201d adds SAAC manager Jos\u00e9 El\u00edas Garc\u00eda Jim\u00e9nez.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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To preserve this legacy and support the local growers, SAAC was created in 1947. \u201dThe wine cooperative was created to fight against speculation from private winery owners,\u201d explains Bueno Garc\u00eda. \u201dNow we have a winery that belongs to all the growers in the village. It\u2019s our pride because we built it ourselves. It\u2019s ours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, the SAAC cooperative has grown to around 1,300 members. These members bring their grapes to the cooperative, where it is transformed into wine. In a typical harvest, SAAC processes 32\u201333 million kilograms of grapes, producing approximately 24 million litres of wine annually.<\/p>\n

That scale reflects genuine community effort. \u201dIn one bottle of wine, you have the work of many people,\u201d enologist Pascual Amor\u00f3s explains. From training and pruning vines to transforming harvested fruit into wine, each bottle represents the culmination of dedicated effort.<\/p>\n

Yet within this beautiful transformation lies an inherent danger. \u201dDuring fermentation, the yeasts transform sugars into alcohol,\u201d Amor\u00f3s continues. \u201dThe process also produces heat, and more importantly, a gas that concerns us: CO2.\u201d It is a paradox inherent to winemaking: what gives SAAC\u2019s cooperative its livelihood simultaneously threatens the lives of those who make it.<\/p>\n

Fermentation Safety Concerns<\/h2>\n

This threat manifests most acutely during harvest season. During the 10- to 12-day fermentation period, substantial quantities of CO2 are released as byproduct, reaching concentrations 20\u201330 times those in normal atmospheric conditions. Without proper safety protocols, these concentrations pose extreme danger to workers.<\/p>\n

\"\"The challenge with CO2 lies in its hidden nature. Unlike other toxic gases, which announce their presence through pungent odours or visible clouds, CO2 is colourless, odourless, and cannot be felt. As such, workers cannot detect this gas through their normal senses, making specialised monitoring essential for workplace safety.<\/p>\n

\u201dWhen CO2 accumulates in a confined space and reaches over 40,000 parts per million, it becomes harmful to humans,\u201d notes Kristoffer Eklund Cuestas, business manager at LogiCO2.<\/p>\n

Elevated CO2 exposure follows a dangerous progression: early symptoms include shortness of breath, increased pulse rates, and dizziness (1\u20137% concentration), escalating to convulsion, unconsciousness, and death at 10%. At 20% concentration, death occurs within seconds.<\/p>\n

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Being heavier than air, CO2 settles into low-lying areas, displacing oxygen and creating danger zones. Fermentation cellars often feature confined areas, such as tanks and vats, where these concentrations build silently. Workers may assume the air is safe, only to collapse when entering these areas.<\/p>\n

For generations, winemakers developed an intuitive understanding of the risks through direct experience. In the LogiCO2 documentary, cellar master Tom\u00e1s Larrey Rubio describes how he educated newcomers: \u201dWhen young people who had never worked with wine before started working here, I\u2019d put them next to a tank and make them get closer, little by little, until they could feel the carbon dioxide, so they\u2019d understand the danger in every tank.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past, workers also relied on crude testing methods, such as lighting a piece of paper and lowering it into tanks. If the flame went out, it signalled dangerous CO2 levels.<\/p>\n

Despite this long-standing awareness, accidents continue to occur during fermentation. This is why LogiCO2 partnered with SAAC to produce this new documentary.<\/p>\n

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\n\u201dEvery year, accidents happen during fermentation, and unfortunately, lives are lost,\u201d explains Eklund Cuestas. \u201dThis is what inspired me to start this project and create more awareness.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Implementing Safety Systems<\/h2>\n

The documentary shows how the SAAC cooperative has addressed this CO2 risk by implementing comprehensive monitoring systems. \u201dThe LogiCO2 system works like a guardian angel. It can detect this invisible enemy\u2026and alert us to prevent accidents,\u201d says Eklund Cuestas.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

LogiCO2\u2019s approach combines real-time detection with manageable safety protocols that protect workers without disrupting established processes. The technology continuously monitors CO2 levels throughout fermentation facilities, providing immediate alerts when concentrations approach dangerous thresholds. Fixed sensors in high-risk areas create continuous safety coverage, whilst portable monitors allow workers to check conditions before entering tanks, cellars, or confined spaces.<\/p>\n

Visual and audible alarms ensure that warnings are unmistakable, even in the noise and activity of harvest season. An external display shows real-time CO2 levels and temperature readings from both sensors, whilst Bluetooth connectivity enables the team to continuously monitor readings via a mobile app.<\/p>\n

These systems integrate seamlessly into existing operations, enabling workers to make informed safety decisions and providing protection beyond traditional approaches.<\/p>\n

Why This Documentary Matters<\/h2>\n

LogiCO2\u2019s new documentary bridges two worlds: the time-honoured culture of winemaking and the stark safety challenge that every fermentation facility must address. By filming at SAAC, LogiCO2 chose a setting where wine\u2019s cultural significance is palpable in every interview, every landscape shot, and every moment of the harvest season.<\/p>\n

The documentary does not sensationalise tragedy, nor does it reduce winemaking to a mere industrial process. Instead, it honours both the tradition and the truth. It shows viewers why wine matters to these communities and why protecting the people who make wine matters even more. It provides a compelling case study in risk management that respects artisanal practices, demonstrating that safety improvements need not compromise quality or heritage.<\/p>\n

A Model for the Industry<\/h2>\n

The SAAC case study demonstrates what is possible when safety technology supports rather than disrupts artisanal practices. The cooperative\u2019s approach offers a practical framework for wineries of any size: comprehensive monitoring, worker education, and systematic protocols that integrate into existing workflows.<\/p>\n

For wine industry professionals, the documentary provides actionable insights into CO2 risk management. It shows how one cooperative addressed a universal challenge without compromising the quality or character that defines their wines.<\/p>\n

As fermentation safety becomes an increasingly important consideration across the industry, the SAAC case study offers both inspiration and practical guidance.<\/p>\n

Video: LogiCO2\u2019s Solution in Action
\n<\/span>Watch the documentary to see how SAAC has made fermentation safety a priority whilst preserving centuries of winemaking tradition:<\/p>\n