As in many other weeks, this time we will once again focus on an article about the field work necessary to make a good wine. Today, we will talk about the task of spergura.

This work is usually carried out around this time of the year, around mid-spring. It is the elimination of the shoots that have been spontaneously emerging on the trunks and branches of the vines.

As mentioned above, this manual task is usually carried out in May, when the buds reach between 5 and 10 cm. At this time, it is easy to pull it out and throw it away, respecting only the shoots that come out on the buds intentionally left during pruning. The latter, as we explained in the pruning article, is linked to the control and limitation of total grape production.

By means of this work we will be able to remove some competition to the main buds, and with this, favor the ventilation and insolation of the vines, improving the health of the crop. All this will result in a better development and growth of our vines and, as a consequence, a better wine.

The entry HOW TO MAKE A GOOD WINE: THE TRIMMING was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

In today’s article we return to the series of texts dedicated to the elaboration necessary to make a good wine. On this occasion, we will focus on the work of fertilizing.

The vines, like any other plant, need nutrients for their development and growth. These nutrients are obtained from the subsoil of the land where it is planted.

The transfer of these nutrients and minerals from the soil leads to a progressive impoverishment of the fertility and richness of the soil. This is why it will be necessary to restore and balance the wear and tear that occurs in a planted soil.

The best way to act is to know the richness of organic matter and minerals in our soil. To do this, we will proceed to perform a soil analysis. We will collect soil samples at different depths and in different areas of the plot following an established procedure. After this, a homogeneous mixture of the samples will be made and a sample will be sent to the laboratory, which will communicate the results.

Once the results are known, we will act by providing the soil with the deficiencies and in the necessary quantities to continue to keep our soil fertile and productive. In this way, we will carry out a personalized maintenance nutrition for each case, providing the necessary nutrients in different proportions.

To achieve this goal we can make a:

• Organic fertilization based on animal manure, straw or vegetable waste, compost, etc.
• Mineral fertilization by means of granulated or liquid preparations, providing various minerals and nutrients in the proportion corresponding to each element, depending on the required needs.

In this way, we will be able to maintain a balance between the absorption produced by the vine and our contributions, which will guarantee the maintenance of the richness and fertility of the soil for the correct growth of the vines and the quality of the grapes.

The entry HOW TO MAKE A GOOD WINE: FERTILIZING was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

On this occasion we will begin a new series aimed at shedding some light on the different grape varieties that can be found in different regions, starting with the Spanish ones. That said, in this article we will focus on the varieties authorized in Rioja and Rioja Alavesa.

First of all, we will begin by talking about the red varieties. As we know, the vast majority of the vines in our region belong to the Tempranillo variety (87.7% of the total red grape cultivation in the D.O.). This variety is characterized by its capacity to produce wines with a long aging, intense color, certain acidity and balanced alcohol content.

Along with Tempranillo, we can find other red varieties such as garnacha, which stands out for its freshness and versatility, Graciano, known for its characteristic aromas, color, acidity and intensity in the mouth, or Mazuelo, characterized by its abundant tannins, high acidity and stable color.

On the other hand, as far as white grapes are concerned, it must be said that, although our region is known especially for its reds, there is a wide range of white varieties. Among these we will highlight the Viura, (which makes up almost 70% of the white grape vineyards). Some of its main characteristics are the ability to provide fruity wines, with floral aromas and a certain degree of acidity.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that there are other grape varieties in this region which have not been mentioned due to their small representation in terms of volume, such as white or red Maturana, white Garnacha or Turruntés. That said, this is the end of this article focused on the different grape varieties that can be found in Rioja and Rioja Alavesa. In the next article we will talk about the fertilization of the vineyards.

The entry GRAPE VARIETIES: RIOJA AND RIOJA ALAVESA was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

This week we return with an article focused on vineyard work at the beginning of the year. In today’s case, this work is about tilling the soil.

Coinciding with the end of winter and the beginning of spring, we can say that it is a good time to carry out this work. Tilling consists of removing the soil from the lanes between the rows of vines. The depth of this work will vary, depending on the composition of the soil, but we can establish a depth of between 15 or 20 cm. To do this, we use a tractor-drawn implement, which drives its coulters into the soil to achieve several objectives:

• On the one hand, we manage to break the structure of the soil, caked after the months of rest in which we have left the land throughout the winter. In addition to this, the moisture from the winter rains and snowfall tends to compact the soil, and, in this way, we crumble its structure.
• On the other hand, by breaking up this structure, we mix the lower layers with the upper ones, achieving more homogeneity in the tilled surface, which favors the optimum development of the vine.
• At the same time, by tilling, we manage to oxygenate the topsoil layer, even favoring the oxygenation of the subsoil, improving and multiplying the microfauna living in the soil. In the same way, this oxygenation will favor the decomposition and distribution of nutrients and minerals for absorption by the roots of the vines.
• Another advantage that we obtain with tilling is the improvement of the sponginess and absorption capacity before the foreseeable spring rains, opening the way for their filtration in the subsoil.
• Finally, we will eliminate weeds.

All this will always be done when the soil has a balance between humidity and dryness, so that the achieved texture is adequate.

The entry HOW TO MAKE A GOOD WINE: THE TILLING was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

Before we begin, it is worth clarifying that we are addressing the tempranillo variety at all times. This is important to mention because depending on the type of variety and/or the region, the times, characteristics and other factors that are related to the grape may vary.

That said, the first thing we can highlight about the vine is its longevity. The vine can perfectly produce grapes even if it is more than 100 years old. It is obvious that, by its nature, a 100-year-old vine will not produce the same quantities of grapes as a 30-year-old vine, but it will offer us a denser fruit in must, more concentrated and interesting for some types of wines.

On the other hand, another important point to highlight is that a vine will not start to produce grapes until 3 or 5 years after it was planted, and that, in addition, until it reaches a minimum of 10 or 12 years of age, these grapes will not be of high quality, as a general rule. During the first 50 or even 60 years, the production of the vines is regulated at 6,500 kg of grapes per hectare of vineyard. After this age, the vineyard will be considered quite old and, although its production regulation will remain the same, its real production will gradually decrease until it reaches 3,000 or 3,500 kg.

As this happens, the quality of the grapes will also increase. This is because due to the number of clones (which we could consider them as different subvarieties within the same variety) we will find different types of Tempranillo, which will create a wine with different aromas and flavors when making wine. In addition, as the grapes are smaller and more concentrated, the must/skin ratio will be lower, so, as we know, the skin is what provides the aromas, colors and flavors to the wine, and the wine will have more contact with the skins during its elaboration, which will make the wine more interesting.

In general, these vines, which were planted by Eusebio Casado, Loli’s grandfather, who started the whole world of wine in our family, will be the ones we use to make our most special wines, such as Polus Tempranillo, Polus Reserva, Jaun de Alzate Reserva and Gran Reserva, mainly.

Here ends this explanatory article about what the age of the vine says about your grapes and wine, next week we will talk about the harvesting of olives. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video dealing with the same topic as here in greater depth. The video related to this article will be released this Saturday.

The entry WHAT DOES THE AGE OF THE VINE TELL US was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

The first buildings were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, known as guardaviñas or chozos (huts), which were built with the same stones obtained from the plowing of the land. This type of stone was used to make these igloo-shaped constructions, which had doors facing south and where a maximum of 6 people could enter.

These constructions had thick walls and did not have any kind of mass to support these walls, stones of different sizes were simply piled up in order to fit together. In addition, the upper area used to have certain openings in order to let the smoke out in case of making a fire inside.

But why were these constructions so important? At that time, the farmer used to go by donkey or on foot to the vineyard, to spend the whole day working there, taking food and drink for the day. Therefore, in case a storm could surprise them at a given moment, they needed these shelters. In addition, during the summer, due to these thick walls that they had, their interior used to harbor a certain coolness, in which, in addition, they would pass certain refreshing breezes.

Now, you may be wondering how all this is related to sustainability. From Bodegas Loli Casado, we believe that it is necessary to preserve what we have inherited, and after several attempts, we have managed to rebuild our Chozo after it collapsed a few decades ago due to the storm.

We also believe that the magic of the Chozo and its landscape is something we should share with our friends and customers, and that is why we have rebuilt it in such a way that, while respecting its structure, location and even more than half of the original construction, we have created a semi-open space with a table and benches at the top of one of our vineyards, where you can enjoy the views and a pleasant lunch accompanied by our wines.

Therefore, we invite you to take a look at our website and discover a little more about the Chozo, and, in case you have a free weekend, especially in autumn, when the leaves of the vines begin to obtain golden or coppery tones, do not hesitate to contact us to enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience.

That said, here ends this article on sustainability in the chozo, next week we will talk about one of the current trendy wines, vegan wines. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video dealing with the same topic as here in greater depth. The video related to this article will be released this Saturday.

The entry SUSTAINABILITY: THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CHOZO was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

Last week we learned how the grape harvest was carried out until a few decades ago, and in today’s article we will focus on explaining how the grape harvest is carried out today in Rioja Alavesa.

That said, to begin with, it is worth noting that we could consider the moment when tractors began to be introduced into the life of the average farmer as a turning point in the evolution of the grape harvest. Although this vehicle has been around for more than 100 years, it was not until relatively recently that it began to be used in this region (around 1970-1980).

This vehicle brought great changes, from the adaptation of the vineyards, widening the space between the lines to allow the passage of the tractor, to the acquisition and planting of more vineyards, since now a single farmer could treat more land with the same hours.

In addition to this, transport from the vineyard to the winery began to be done in trailers, initially made of wood covered by a tarpaulin, and later in stainless steel, which can now easily carry more than 3,000 kg of grapes.

Along with this, the utensils or tools of the past are replaced by more modern ones, which will do the job in a more optimal way. The chestnut basket will be replaced by rubber baskets, which do not allow the must to escape, the corquete is replaced by the scissors, and, as we have seen in the previous paragraphs, the comportones and the cattle are replaced by tractors and trailers.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that changes are also made in the winemaking process, since in this case, it is currently common to pass the grapes through the destemmer as they arrive at the winery, in order to separate the stems from the grapes, and then take the grapes to the tank, where they will undergo alcoholic fermentation. In addition, nowadays we can make use of some yeasts to ensure that the fermentation will take place and thus preserve the quality of the grape in its entirety in our final wines. Once the fermentation is finished, we will obtain a single wine, unlike what was obtained in the past, and it will be up to the winemaker to decide whether to take it to crianza, reserva, young wine, or perhaps to sell it in bulk.

That said, here ends this introductory article to the history of wine, next week we will talk about sustainability, providing the example of our precious hut. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video dealing with the same topic as here in greater depth. The video related to this article will be released this Saturday.

The entry HOW TO ELABORATE A GOOD WINE: THE MODERN HARVEST was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

In recent years the word sustainability has been gaining momentum. We hear it more and more, but what exactly is this term about? Today, in our weekly article, we will be talking about how we understand the word sustainability and what work we carry out in our winery in order to contribute a grain of sand to the ecosystem.

Sustainability for Bodegas Loli Casado is a very broad concept that encompasses many aspects that influence the environment in which we operate. We can start by mentioning the way we work the vineyard, not using herbicides to control weeds or using organic fertilizers instead of mineral fertilizers. What is clear is that we believe that everything should be done with the least possible impact on the ecosystem, from the work in the fields, to the winemaking process and even the visits to the winery.

Although it is true that we do not make organic wines, for the moment, many of the processes we carry out follow the established guidelines for making these wines.

Throughout the development of the vine, we carry out tasks such as stripping and leaf removal to favor aeration and sunlight exposure of the cluster and thus reduce the risk of diseases. We also reduce phytosanitary treatments to a minimum, extending the application periods according to weather conditions.

We carry out a minimum tillage of the soil, avoiding soil erosion. The loss of topsoil is a serious problem that can affect the future of our vineyard and any other crop.

In addition, we maintain the soil, irrigation ditches, and walled areas that are found in our plots, favoring a favorable habitat for the development of the microfauna necessary for the self-control of pests and insects.

We maintain and plant native trees such as olive trees, holm oaks, kermes oaks, etc. where reptiles, small mammals and birds are sheltered and contribute to the necessary balance. In addition, we act on aspects such as lower fuel costs by reducing mechanical work on the farm.

In the winery, we have minimized expenses by adapting the lighting to LED or low-consumption systems. We have also reduced water consumption by studying how to clean tanks, hoses and barrels using less water.

We have initiated steps to use recyclable cardboard, grouping of auxiliary materials such as glass, capsules… and thus reduce our stocks.

All this keeps alive our conviction that everyone can contribute in their own way to a sustainable environment, and in this way we will be able to continue making our wines with little impact on the ecosystem of the area.

That said, this is the end of this article. Next week we will talk about visual and sensory control of grape ripening. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video addressing the same topic as here in greater depth.

The entry SUSTAINABILITY: WHAT IT IS AND HOW WE CONTRIBUTE was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

Have you ever heard of “green pruning”? If you do not know this term, stay with us and we will explain how we do it in Bodegas Loli Casado.

Green pruning is another of the tasks we must perform in the vineyard to ensure optimal development and quality of our wines. In this case, this work is carried out during the month of August, and consists of cutting and throwing away the bunches of grapes brought in excess by the vines, if necessary.

One hectare of vineyard is authorized to produce 6,500 kg of grapes in our region. There are years in which, due to its nature, it can produce more than this amount, or because, at the winery’s discretion, in order to keep the vines balanced and achieve better grape quality, we decided to prune the vines in green.

The moment to carry it out is coinciding with the beginning of veraison. During this period, several changes occur in the cluster. The skin changes color progressively from green to red and black, and inside the berry, the acids that are found inside the berry change to sugars. Simultaneously, the berry acquires its final size.

It is at this time that the clusters demand more nutrients from the vine. By eliminating the excess clusters (between 1 and 6 approximately), the remaining clusters benefit from and distribute for ripening all that the vine is capable of producing.

The operation is carried out by cutting with scissors and throwing to the ground, the clusters that are more hidden, at the top of the vine shoot… Thus, the remaining clusters will have an exceptional quality and we will obtain great wines.

That said, here ends this article focused on green pruning. Next week we will talk about sustainability, what it means to us and how we do our bit to support the ecosystem. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video addressing the same topic as here in greater depth.

The entry HOW TO ELABORATE A GOOD WINE: AUGUST – GREEN PRUNING was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

We all love a good wine; enjoy its flavors, aromas, in company or alone… But what is behind it? In this series of articles entitled “How to make a good wine” we will explain all the actions we carry out throughout the year to produce our best wines.

In today’s article we will talk about the tasks we have been doing this last month and in which we are still working. Almost all the work done in our vineyards is carried out manually except for a few.

Having said that, the first task to mention is manual blunt. Trimming is based on cutting the ends of the shoots, which are the branches of the vines, to interrupt and limit their growth. Depending on the type of vineyard (trained or bush vines), the way to perform this task will vary.

In trellised vineyards, a work is done which is the continuation of another work done in the month of June. This consists of putting the growing shoots between the wires so that they grow vertically. In this way, once the vine shoot exceeds the height of the upper wire, the tips are cut off with a pair of scissors. With this work we make sure to leave a sufficient leaf surface for the good development of the vine and to favor the aeration of the plant while allowing the tractor to pass through, thus avoiding damage to the shoots.

In goblet vines, the purpose of blunting is to generate less opposition to the force of the wind that can pull shoots off the vine, to improve aeration of the center of the vine and to allow the tractor to circulate so as not to damage the vine shoot.

The second main task we have been carrying out has been manual leaf removal. This task is based on removing the leaves (normally one by one) that cover the cluster so that it has a greater exposure to the sun and wind and, in addition, the phytosanitary treatments can reach it better.

Finally, the third task we have carried out has been the application of phytosanitary treatments. As we know, the two main diseases that can affect the vineyard, and consequently the wine, are downy mildew and powdery mildew. Both diseases are caused by fungi and are continuously present in the environment surrounding the vines and on the woody parts. For this reason, treatments are applied only when conditions of humidity and temperature are favorable for the development of the fungus or when it is foreseen that they may develop.

If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to stop by our YouTube channel, where every Saturday we upload a video addressing the same topic as here in greater depth. The video related to this article will be released on Saturday, July 31. Also, if you prefer the podcast format, on our Spotify account you can find the audio of the video every Sunday, starting this August 1, 2021.

The entry HOW TO ELABORATE A GOOD WINE: JULY TASKS was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.