We are Mastering Garnacha

In this 2020 vintage, we have experienced special moments, after almost a whole year of uncertainties due to the pandemic, our wineries have achieved very satisfactory results. The great work of our wine experts has allowed a campaign that lives up to our expectations.

2020 Harvest at Bodem Bodegas

According to our winemaker Manuel Castro: «Harvest with the highest yields than last year. The higher and better oriented late vineyards have had normal development, the early vineyards have matured earlier than a normal year. By collecting most of our Grenache in the Sierra de Algairen, our wines have a greater amount of fruit, with a lot of complexity and balanced acidity, less structure than last year, and more moderate alcohol. I highlight the fruit intensity and the aging capacity of the 2020 vintage wines.»

We can define this year 2020 at Sierra de Algairén in one word, water. We have suffered strong and infrequents mildew attacks. Thanks to the hard work and knowledge the vinegrowers, we have managed to fight the disease more efficiently. Specially carrying out handworks to lighten grapevines and allow good ventilation.

In the other hand, we were afortunate to receive nature´s help during flowering and fruit set. This enabled us to avoid coulure, which is a particular characterictic of our Garnachas. August has been a month in which we have only exceeded 40 degrees for 3 days, ensuring optimun grape ripening. Furthermore, this year we haven´t suffered hail which other years has adversely affected this region.

As a result of a year full of paranormal phenomena, we have obtained adequate yields on average and quality characteristics that will reflect the high fruit and acidity of this year´s grapes.

2020 Harvest at La Casa de Lúculo

Virginia Arranz, winemaker at La Casa de Lúculo, resume this campaign as follows: «Despite the difficulties of this year 2020, it has been again an exciting project from which we can´t expect more than magnificent results».

The 2020 harvest in Navarra has been advanced about 10 days earlier than the 2019 campaign. It has been an above-average harvest, with yields of about 9.000 kilos per hectare. The quality has been good, without damages caused by mildew, a disease that has been very present in this year.

This year we started with the grape from Barillas. Barillas is located in the south of the Comunidad Foral de Navarra. It´s an organic white Garnacha with 12.5 – 13% abv that will remain in oak barrels to result in our wine Lúculo Garnacha Blanca.

In Falces, on the riverbank, we have harvested red grapes from our organic vineyards with very good results.

2020 Harvest at Pagos del Moncayo

At Pagos del Moncayo winery, Gonzalo Merchant and Pablo Aibar, winemaker and field technician respectively, have worked hard to get a great campaign. According to Pablo Aibar: «After a complicated vegetative period for various reasons, we have managed to collect a high-quality grape thanks to the good work carried out in the vineyards and a manual harvest where we carry out a meticulous selection of the fruit. With a sustainable philosophy, we will make great wines by extracting the maximum potential from Syrah and Garnacha grapes. «

This year the harvest has been one week earlier than the 2019 campaign. During 2020 there has been a lot of rainfall, almost double of last year with similar temperatures. It has been an above-average harvest, with yields of about 6.500 kg per hectare. This year has been quite problematic in terms of diseases in the vineyards, such as mildew.

At Pagos del Moncayo, we have counteracted this threat thanks to the exhaustive and meticulous control carried out at the vineyard. For instance: intense leaf removal and yield control , dropping bunches during veraison. With these actions, we have ensured a good distribution of the bunches in the vine.

This year we have finished the harvest at our new vineyard in Tabuenca. This field has 5 Garnacha grape hectares.