This year has been marked by the lack of water, with almost no rain between February and September. Combined with higher than usual temperatures throughout the growing season, we picked between 7-9 days earlier than is usual. The younger vines on poorer soils suffered most from the lack of water, but on the positive side, the weather this year made for an excellent sanitary state overall.

Despite the low rainfall, production levels were around what is normal for the area. The Cabernet Sauvignon in some areas had trouble reaching ideal phenolic maturity, but in general the other varieties ripened well. We started picking the white varieties on the 21st August and the first reds on the 30th August. The harvest ended on the 29th September with the Carinyena from the higher regions of Poboleda.

In the cellar the alcoholic fermentation has progressed nicely despite the high alcohol levels. The wines pH is generally higher than in 2005 which should help the malolactic fermentation and gives us nicely balanced wines.

Labels: harvest

We are just beginning to pick the first grapes of the 2005 harvest, and have spent the last couple of weeks doing daily maturity controls and preparing everything for the upcoming campaign. The sanitary state of the grapes is excellent, and the grapes are ripening as expected. We have already started to pick the earliest-ripening varieties like Garnatxa Blanca and Merlot, and expect to start on the Garnatxa Negra tomorrow.

The vegetative cycle of 2005 has been full of contrasts due to the severe drought that the whole country is suffering. In the cooler fresher areas, the vines have barely suffered and we expect the grapes to ripen perfectly. Nonetheless, some of the younger vines in more exposed areas have developed insufficient leaf canopy for perfect ripening, and we are finding some grapes that instead of reaching phenolic ripeness, are shrivelling to a raisin-like state. Nonetheless, a strict selection during picking, and again at the cellar door should ensure an excellent harvest overall for 2005.

Having just celebrated the official opening of our new cellar last month, we now finally take to the web with our own presence.