Winter was very dry (10 litres/m2 between December and February 2012) with very low temperatures during the first few days of February (snow) and again in the early days of March. Spring was mild, and with rainfall measured at 146 litres/m2 which ensured acceptable levels of water reserves up to the time of veraison. Summer was very dry, with total rainfall of only 80 litres/m2, which was sufficient to prevent leaf drop and dehydration in the grapes. Temperatures were very high at between 36 and 39ºC during August, which brought the harvest forward from the predicted date. We started picking Macabeo on 24th. August. The weather conditions – low humidity, drought and high temperatures – produced grapes of optimal health. It could not have been better!

We monitor the ripening of our grapes by controlling not only grape sugars and acidity, but also, and above all, the colour and flavour of the skin.

When our oenologists consider that the optimal ripening time has arrived, the grapes are picked by hand and taken to our Winery in 25 Kg plastic boxes so that they arrive as intact as possible.