THE VINEYARD
Qu.D.O. Rioja
All of our vineyards lie within the bounds of Alfaro, located within the sub-region of Eastern Rioja. We feel we are a “singular” winery within the Qu.D.O. Rioja, since we own some 46 hectares of vineyards, most of which contain Garnacha and Graciano.
Name of vineyard
La Casilla
Site
Cabezorroyo
Variety
Garnacha
Year planted
1918
Spacing
1,85 x 1,85
Soil type
LOAMY TEXTURE WITH LARGE COARSE ELEMENTS ON THE SURFACE
Viticulture
ORGANIC. SINGLE VINEYARD
Area (Ha)
2,8
Height (masl)
465
Name of vineyard
Site
Variety
Year planted
1917
Spacing
1,70 x 1,70
Soil type
LOAMY TEXTURE WITH MEDIUM-SIZED COARSE ELEMENTS ON THE SURFACE
Viticulture
ORGANIC. SINGLE VINEYARD
Area (Ha)
Height (masl)
475
Name of vineyard
Site
Variety
Year planted
Spacing
Soil type
SANDY LOAM TEXTURE WITH NUMEROUS COARSE ELEMENTS ACROSS THE PROFILE
Viticulture
ORGANIC
Area (Ha)
Height (masl)
Name of vineyard
Site
Variety
Garnacha
Year planted
1965
Spacing
Soil type
HETEROGENEOUS, WITH LOAMY & LOAMY/SANDY AREAS
Viticulture
SUSTAINABLE
Area (Ha)
6
Height (masl)
345
Name of vineyard
Site
Variety
Year planted
Spacing
3,00 x 1,20
Soil type
LIGHT LOAMY TEXTURE WITH SMALL COARSE ELEMENTS
Viticulture
ORGANIC SINGLE VINEYARD
Area (Ha)
2,8
Height (masl)
465
Name of vineyard
Site
Variety
Year planted
Spacing
Soil type
DIFFERENT SOIL TEXTURES DEPENDING ON THE AREA
Viticulture
SUSTAINABLE
Area (Ha)
2,8
Height (masl)
355
Name of vineyard
Saso
Site
El Montecillo
Variety
TEMPRANILLO, GRENACHE & MAZUELO
Year planted
1992
Spacing
3,0 x 1,2
Soil type
SANDY LOAM
Viticulture
ORGANIC
Area (Ha)
10,37
Height (masl)
414
LA CASILLA
DE CABEZORROYO
Old bush-trained Garnacha vineyard grafted in 1918 by our grandfather. This vineyard has seen 4 generations of the Escudero family grow, with its vines cared for by each of them. Thus, it is the ideal narrator for our family’s history.
Quite likely our grandfather never imagined that that rain-fed vineyard, whose vines were set upon the boulders of the Sierra de Yerga, resistant to the summer droughts in Alfaro and the high summer temperatures, would have remained for over 100 years to become the oldest vineyard hereabouts.
With all the joy of a man who has just got married, our grandfather grafted this Garnacha vineyard upon his return from his honeymoon in Valencia. Being of an inquisitive mind, he brought back Bobal (a traditional Valencian variety) vine shoots as a souvenir of the trip and grafted them into a corner of the plot.
At that time field work was done using animals and cars did not yet exist. Hence, our family went down from Grávalos to work the land, remaining on the plots for as long as was needed. That is why this plot features a shack, as that is where they slept until the work was completed while there.
EL CUADRITO DE HOYA LA PUERCA
Vineyard grafted in 1917 by our grandfather. This vineyard is a small terroir also located on the slopes of the Yerga, a mere 200 metres from our other 100-year old vineyard “La Casilla de Cabezorroyo”. Similarly, our grandfather grafted this Garnacha vineyard a year before marrying our grandmother Julia.
These century-old vines are tight to the ground and their tortuous branches spread upwards from there. These old vines are not especially productive, but the fruit they do produce is fabulous. Soil maintenance is done by tillage and fertilisation is achieved by the application of cow/sheep manure every four years.
In these old plots it is common to find heterogeneity in the varieties. Albeit the predominant variety is Garnacha, scattered around the plot are strains of whites, red Garancha and other red varieties.
LA ZORROPA
This Garnacha vineyard was planted in 2014 on land previously dedicated to almonds. This plot is notable for its 10% slope, large number of coarse elements on the surface and having gullies bordering it on two sides, all of which adds up to a plot with gorgeous views.
LA CASILLA
DEL RIGÜELO
A bush-trained Garnacha vineyard grafted in 1965 by our uncle, Ángel Carra, upon finishing his military service in Zaragoza. In the past, men would not start their working life properly until they had finished their service, which is why our uncle decided to plant this vine upon his return from Zaragoza.
This vineyard is characterized by its great varietal diversity, with strains of Miguel de Arco, Graciano de Alfaro, Alicante Bouchet, Red Garnacha and Tempranillo found across the plot. However, all these varieties account for less than 2% of the vineyard.
This land covers some 9.2 Ha, of which some 6 Ha were originally used for the vineyard. Our uncle Ángel chose those 6 Ha of land because he was convinced that this was the best spot in the plot for the cultivation of vines. The rest of the land was used to grow other crops, such as cereals and asparagus. In addition, there is a shack in the midst of the vineyard, where they would stay while undertaking their agricultural tasks.
Nowadays, all the land is devoted to the vine and there you can find Graciano, red Tempranillo and white Tempranillo.
LOS OLIVOS
This Graciano trellis vineyard was planted in 1995 by Amador Escudeo Carra and comprises our oldest Graciano vines. This vineyard is part of an old 14 Ha estate pertaining to the Carra family and, just like our Finca Rigüelo, had a shack in the midst of the land.
Nowadays, the shack has crumbled away and in its rubble can be found a multitude of auxiliary fauna, including lizards, snakes, geckos and rabbits. The ruins of the shack can be found in a corner of the plot. Additionally, this land is bordered on one side by large olive trees.
The plot amounted to Amador Escudero Carra taking a chance on the Graciano variety. Today we view this as having been a sure thing, convinced as we are of the potential of this variety both to produce high quality mono-varietal wines and for its value as an alternative variety in the face of climate change.
SERRANO
A vineyard comprising 1.8 Ha of old bush-trained Garnacha that was grafted in 1942. Part of the vineyard is also dedicated to trellis-based Tempranillo that was grafted in 1983.
This vineyard is characterized by having a high percentage of other varieties mixed in among the Garnacha strains. These varieties give the vineyard typicity and they include: Muscat Petit Grains, Graciano (from Alfaro), Viura, white Garnacha, red Garnacha, etc.
The old folk from hereabouts have always been wise to where the best areas could be found for grape cultivation. The same thing happened with this vineyard: the area where Tempranillo can be found nowadays had poor quality soil compared to the remainder of the plot and, so, was sown with cereals. Back in 1983, our father, Amador Escudero Abad, began to water the plot, which led to a change in cultivation from cereal to the Tempranillo in the belief that by watering it the vineyard would develop just fine. Obviously, he was right.
saso
Comprising 10 Ha of different varieties in trellises, this is the largest vineyard we own. It was the first that Amador Escudero Carra grafted and, out of curiosity, he decided to place a number of varieties around the plot: Garnacha, Tempranillo and Mazuelo.
THE VINEYARD
Qu.D.O. Rioja
Our way of understanding wine starts in the vineyard. And our vineyards can be found in the Sierra de Yerga, where we aim to produce wines that speak to the balance between climate, soil, plant and man.
Sierra de Yerga
The Sierra is one of the differentiating factors in our wines. Its summit lies 1101 metres above sea level and its slopes are home to our vineyards, located between altitudes of 300 and 500 masl. This directly affects the climatology of the plots and ripening conditions for the grapes, with optimal conditions attained so the vines may complete their vegetative cycle well.
CLIMATE
The climate is known for its moderate winters and hot summers, with a marked dry season, with an average annual temperature of 12.4ºC. The average annual rainfall is about 400 mm, split mainly between spring and autumn. The predominant wind (the so-called “cierzo”) comes from the north-west and travels through the Ebro Valley, providing one of the best cures against fungal diseases for the vineyards.
SOIL
In general, the soils of this area are most particular, since they are typically either sandy loam or clay loam, with high iron content and low level of active lime. During the summer droughts, this leads to the vines seeking water retained by the soil at greater depths. In addition, the further up the Sierra de Yerga you go, the greater the content of coarse elements, which favours water drainage and improves soil aeration.
Plant
Within our own plots we combine old bush-trained Garnacha vines grafted by our ancestors on the slopes of Yerga with select Graciano clones. We firmly believe that these two varieties are the best adapted to the area, both for the optimal ripening of their grapes and for their efficient use of the water, as well as their resistance to pests and diseases.
HUMANS
Our work philosophy is based on respect for the vineyard. That is why for many years we have employed sustainable agriculture and do not use either herbicides or insecticides. We feel there should be a reciprocal relationship with the land, taking care of it just as it takes care of us. We are transitioning our vineyards to organic viticulture.
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