Today we are delighted to introduce you to our new line of plot wines, Loli Casado.

This is a limited production line consisting of 3 new wines: La Cancilla, Los Tapiales and El Abrigado.

LA CANCILLA

“Rooted in rock”

A plot wine from a vineyard planted in 1945. Its vines have grown rooted between sandstone slabs and shallow soils. By selecting certain vines before each harvest and choosing the best clusters, we make this wine with a limited production of 600 bottles.

The free-run must obtained from the cold maceration of the grapes fermented in French oak barrels, subsequent batonage of the fine lees and maturation in barrels results in this unique, fresh, unctuous and enveloping wine made entirely from Viura grapes.

Tasting notes

LOS TAPIALES

“Born in mixed lands”

Plot wine from a vineyard planted in 1945, whose vines twisted by the years deepen their roots in soils of different compositions and colors. By selecting certain Tempranillo vines before each harvest and choosing the best clusters, we make this wine with a limited production of 1,093 bottles.

The early blending of the grapes with the French oak provides a great balance between the fruit and the fine wood, achieving a high aromatic complexity, freshness and harmony, which enhances the elegance of this unique wine.

Tasting notes

EL ABRIGADO

“Twisted by nature”

Plot wine from a vineyard planted in 1945. The old Graciano, Viura and Tempranillo vines were blended on a whim of my grandfather at the time of planting.

By selecting certain vines before each harvest and choosing the best clusters, we make this wine with a limited production of 424 bottles.

The selection of clusters of the 3 varieties at the time of harvest and their fermentation and maturation in concrete tanks, results in a wine with a high presence of fruit and concentration in the mouth, which gives it its special uniqueness.

Tasting notes

The entry LOLI CASADO – PLOT WINES was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

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.

Many of us enjoy a good extra virgin olive oil with our breakfasts, lunches… But not all of us know what needs to be done for the olive tree to produce good olives. In this article we will try to shed a little more light on the necessary care to be carried out throughout February in order to grow a healthy olive.

The olive tree is a tree that requires little care throughout the year, however, this month’s task will be one of the main ones to perform. Being an evergreen tree, its annual growth is not very developed, so the olive tree is a very long-lived tree and will grow slowly throughout its life.

As far as pruning is concerned, we will focus mainly on removing new shoots on the trunk and branches, which do not have a productive function. Then we will thin out branches, mainly in the second year, with the aim of maintaining the shape and bearing of the olive tree, while facilitating air circulation and sun penetration.

All this work will contribute to improve the health and vigor of the tree, making it ready for the next harvest.

That said, here ends this article on olive tree care in the month of February.

The entry OLIVE TREE CARE: PRUNING was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

The year is coming to an end, but that does not mean that the work in the vineyard has finished. At Bodegas Loli Casado we like to take advantage of the cold winter to produce one of our most special wines: Polus Vendimia Tardía. Stay with us and we will tell you all the secrets that make this wine unique.

In September we leave a plot of our oldest vineyard, located in the area of “La Llana”, unharvested. In this way, during the months of October through December, the clusters begin a natural process of raisining. In addition to this, the snowfalls that we usually have in our area at the end of the year contribute to improve the raisining process due to the cold.

Between the end of December and the beginning of January, the grapes reach the desired sugar concentration point and the harvest begins. In this case, since there are so few grapes, the harvest does not last more than one morning.

Once we return to the winery, we will start gently pressing the clusters, and in this way we will obtain a very concentrated must, which will fill the atmosphere with aromas such as honey, raisins and nuts. From this point on, a slow fermentation of a semi-sweet wine of the Viura variety will begin, which will awaken our senses and which fits perfectly both with starters and as a dessert of a pleasant meal.

That said, here ends this article on the elaboration of Polus Late Harvest. 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 MAKE A GOOD WINE: LATE HARVEST was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

As we all know Christmas is just around the corner, and therefore, from Bodegas Loli Casado we want to recommend our top 3 best wines to make these dates as special as possible. We invite you to join us in this article so you can find the wine you need this Christmas.

First of all, we believe that the most sensible thing to do would be to start with a classic and traditional wine. This is the Jaun de Alzate Gran Reserva. A wine that remains in its barrel for 30 months, patiently maturing and then spending 36 months in the bottle, polishing its flavor and reaching its final elegance. The result? A subtle, fine, complex wine, but at the same time lively and expressive.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a more modern wine, we would like to propose the Polus Reserva 2014. This 100% Tempranillo wine, which comes from vines over 75 years old, has a special elaboration, and that is that, from its birth until it is moved to barrel, it spends about a year in 5,000 L vats maturing and developing, and then spend 18 months in barrel and 18 more in bottle. This is how it obtains its fine tannins, vanilla and smoked aromas… Given its elaboration, it is not surprising that it is a limited production wine.

Finally, if you are looking for a signature wine with a completely different character, we recommend our Polus Tempranillo 2018. This is a wine with its own personality, which requires a lot of attention, both in its production and in the tasting. This is due to the methodology used in its maturation, which manages to provide it with unique characteristics that could not be obtained in any other way. Like the Polus Reserva, the Polus Tempranillo is born in contact with wood, but in its case, in 225 L French oak barrels. This is why this wine acquires its unique flavor, intensity and personality.

So far our top 3 wines for Christmas, now it is up to you to decide which of them you want to be surprised with. Do you want to try them?

That said, here ends this article of wine recommendations for Christmas, next week we will talk about the history of wine in the Middle Ages. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to visit 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 WINES TO GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

Christmas time is approaching and as every year, in Bodegas Loli Casado, we have mounted our Christmas Nativity scene themed in our region, more specifically in our town, Lapuebla de Labarca. If you want to know more about it we invite you to stay with us.

For more than 30 years, each and every year we have set up our Nativity Scene. At the beginning, it used to occupy a corner of our living room, but every year we increased its size, its characters, its trades, etc. There came a point in which more than a common crib seemed a very detailed representation, and therefore, after several decades, we decided that the best thing would be to share it with everyone. Thus was born the nativity scene between barrels, an event that takes place from the bridge of the Immaculate Conception until Epiphany, in which each week this representation is updated, adding, moving or replacing figures, giving more life to the Bethlehem.

As we mentioned at the beginning, we consider it a nativity scene themed with the region, and this is because in this we can find represented a number of trades, such as beekeeping, livestock, viticulture, pottery or cooperage. These are and have been very common trades in the region and also correspond to the possible trades that were carried out (among others) at that time.

In this way, in Bodegas Loli Casado we try to bring the Christmas season closer to our culture, offering a didactic Nativity Scene with which everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, can learn something new.

That said, here ends this article dedicated to our nativity scene, next week we will talk about what wines we recommend for this Christmas. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to visit 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 A NATIVITY SCENE AMONG BARRELS was published first in BODEGAS LOLI CASADO.

Over the last few months we have been able to see several of the tasks that have to be carried out throughout the year in order to obtain quality grapes and, as a consequence, a good wine. In today’s article we will focus on the work of pruning, what it consists of, when it is done and what it is used for.

Pruning is the next task to be carried out once the harvest season is over. Therefore, this task is carried out between the months of November and February. The aim is to eliminate part of the shoots that will begin to sprout in spring, in order to leave the desired number of buds.

We will make two types of cuts on the vine shoots: the first type will be at the level of the vine or trunk, to completely eliminate the vine shoot, and in the other case, we will leave a small piece of vine shoot, leaving two buds, from which the new shoots will sprout, from which the bunches of grapes will come out.

It can be said that pruning is the main method to limit the production of the vineyard, and, in this way, also to facilitate an optimal development of the vine, thus obtaining better quality grapes. For each bud we can obtain about 1.5 bunches of Tempranillo grapes, and we usually leave about 6 thumbs (the pieces of vine shoot from which the other branches of the vine shoot will sprout) per vine, so that normally, a vine can give us about 15 bunches of grapes, although this may vary depending on the age of the vine and the grape variety.

That said, here ends this article that deals with another of the field work such as pruning, next week we will talk about what to do in the next bridge of the Immaculate Conception. If you enjoyed this article, we invite you to visit our YouTube channel, where we upload videos related to the world of the wine.

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