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Vineyard management

We have returned to a land linked to wine territorially, culturally and historically, where there are also special orographic and climatic conditions for the cultivation of vineyards and the production of great wines.

Winter pruning

It is a task that is normally carried out manually during the vegetative rest of the vine, in which the shoots are cut and eliminated, leaving only the thumbs and/or sticks with the buds that will sprout in spring. With pruning, the vine is shaped, the distribution of the vegetation is organized, the vigor and its productive character are controlled.

Soil subsoiling

It is a soil work that consists of passing bars deep into the soil to break the horizons of the soil. This work prevents soil compaction, improves water drainage and favors the multiplication of vine roots in depth.

Manual green pruning

It is a task that is done by hand when the vineyard is budding and is based on eliminating the shoots of the vine that are of no interest, leaving the shoots with clusters that we want to leave to mature and some buds if it is necessary to renew the vineyard. It is a task that helps us to better organize the vegetation of the vineyard, favors the maturation of the grapes and that the grapes are healthier.

Wire raising

It is a task that consists of raising the trellis wires of the vineyard as it grows and gains height. It allows us to keep the leaf surface vertical and improve its exposure to the sun, favoring the ripening processes of the grape.

Manual leaf removal

It consists of manually removing a part of the basal leaves that are located around the bunches to favor the aeration of the bunches and their exposure to the sun. Manual defoliation is a fundamental task to promote ripening and guarantee the health of our grapes. The moment of stripping varies according to the purpose pursued and the type of variety.

Clarified bunches

It consists of removing a part of the clusters from the vineyard to regulate excessive production and thus favor the maturation of the rest of the clusters, improving the quality of the grapes. It is a task that is carried out in the vineyards when the production is higher than what we want for a specific vineyard or when the quality of the clusters that are removed is not optimal for the production of a certain wine.

Vintage

Harvest is the time when the grapes are harvested, which in our winery is carried out between the months of September and November. The grapes destined for high-end wines are harvested by hand in 12kg boxes and the grapes destined for medium-range wines are harvested mechanically. The grapes are transported in small quantities to the winery that is located a few meters from the vineyard.

Throughout the year we carry out a series of tasks in the vineyard, many of them manual, which help us to control low yields and achieve a balance between leaf area and the amount of grapes produced. To produce quality wines, it is necessary to produce between one and two kilos per vine.

All these tasks are essential before reaching the crucial moment of the harvest. This is a very important date, which is determined by tasting the grapes themselves, being the only way to appreciate the organoleptic sensation that will lead us to produce a great wine.

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Elaboration

Our cultivation techniques consolidate the quality of our grapes, the solvency of a fertile natural production that, without pause and without haste, without stopping and with patience, begins a careful process of elaboration. It is the continuation of a journey that comes from the land itself.

As in the management of the vineyard, in the winemaking process of Bodega Otazu, every detail is important to get the best out of each grape in the hands of the expert. Without basing ourselves on regulations, we only seek to respect its essence and seek its maximum potential.