HARVESTING. WINE-MAKING

Our vineyards are divided into small plots and in August the grapes of each plot are tested and tasted for ripeness. As the best date for picking approaches, these checks take place more and more often, sometimes reaching as many as three or four a week.

This division of our vineyards means we can choose the best plots for each wine we make. In some vineyards it is not unusual to make three or even more passes during grape-picking in order to harvest each grape at its peak of ripeness.  All this means that harvesting can last all the way through October.

WINE-MAKING:
RED WINES

1. Alcoholic and Malolactic fermentation:
   
    Having chosen the best plots,the grapes  arrive in the bodega. After destemming  they are sent to the different vats or tanks where alcoholic fermentation is carried out. Each vat/tank  is tasted every morning and afternoon in order to take the best decisions, such as how long the vatting will last.
   Attention is paid to every detail so as to get the most out of our grapes.
   
   After alcoholic fermentation and maceration the wines are devatted to other tanks where malolactic fermentation takes place.
   
   

   After malolactic fermentation the young wines are fined with egg whites and are then bottled  while the crianza wines (to be aged in oak) are kept in 225 litre French and American oak barrels.                                                                                                
    
2. Ageing in oak barrels:
   
    

   The ageing area is totally insulated for optimum humidity and temperature conditions, and fillled with neatly-stacked French and American oak barrels.
   During this time oxygen passes through the pores of the oak causing a slow micro-oxygenation of the wine and thus stabilising its colour, while at the same time the wood slowly releases tannin and aroma.
   
   It is worth mentioning the racking process which consists of emptying, washing and refilling the barrels.  We carry this out every four to six months so that the wine develops all its aromatic complexity.

                                                                                                    
    

3. Bottle ageing:
   Once barrel aging is finished, the wine is racked to the vat where coupage, the blending of barrels of wine from the same year, is carried out. This process produces a more complex wine, in which the contribution of the different barrels made from various oaks and toasted in different ways can be appreciated.
   
   After coupage the wine is clarified with egg whites and bottled, thus setting bottle-ageing in motion. The bottles are stored on their sides in ideal temperature and humidity conditions until their release for sale.
    

 

During this time the wine gets rounder and softens.