The vine is a plant with significant biological activity throughout the year, showing significant differences depending on the month. A cycle that begins as spring approaches and extends beyond the harvest when the best wines with the Monastrell variety are already being prepared. It is essential to understand as best as possible the conditions the vineyard has experienced during each year’s vegetative cycle, which have surrounded the development and ripening of the grapes. This complex set of variables has a fundamental influence on the quality and characteristics of the wine finally obtained.
The peculiarities of Monastrell offer a great opportunity to understand its adaptation in each case: different types of soils, precipitation, temperatures reached, and even the cultural practices of the vine grower who carefully tends to their vineyards to achieve the best wines.
Bleeding is the first activity of the plant after the winter rest. When temperatures soften, bleeding appears, flowing from pruning cuts. Plant activity begins with cellular respiration and the absorption of water and minerals, soon appearing as tears from the wounds and cuts of the previous pruning.
With budding, it becomes clear that the new cycle has arrived, and root activity becomes apparent throughout the plant: buds swell and elongate. From the bud, the vine develops vegetative organs and creates new ones: foliage and flowering. Temperature and insolation have a significant influence on the speed of this phenomenon.
During the summer, the veraison phase takes place, during which the grape ripens and changes its appearance until reaching its final color. It is a fundamental moment when the most important changes occur that will determine the color, aroma, and flavor of the grape. Temperature and solar exposure will accelerate or slow down the veraison process.
In privileged climates where there are usually no climatic incidents, the cluster can remain on the vines to reach a higher sugar content. This is called the overripening of the grapes, which will be the raw material for the precious Fondillón, which is a dry and unique wine from the Alicante DO, and other sweet and aged wines with a long tradition.
At the end of summer, ripening occurs: the grape continues to grow, storing water and sugar. In this phase, the grape acquires a sweeter taste as its sugar content increases.
With the approach of autumn comes the harvest, the final step of this complex cycle. It usually takes place during the months of September and October, depending on the degree of grape ripeness. It’s a moment full of symbolism. Grape growers gather the fruit of their labor, the result of months of care and attention.
Both the harvest and transport to the winery are carried out very carefully, trying to break the fewest number of grains possible and avoiding squeezing the grapes. Of particular importance, considering the temperatures during the harvest dates in Monastrell cultivation areas, is to bring the grapes to the winery as soon as possible.
The unloaded grapes are then subjected to destemming and crushing. Destemming removes the stalk, the support of the grape berries or grains, which can contribute vegetal herbaceous flavors to the must, potentially significantly reducing the final wine quality. Crushing consists of breaking all the grains by crushing and facilitating the release of the must, separating the solid parts from the liquid ones. The intensity of crushing is crucial for vinification development and to achieve quality objectives in wine.
From here, meticulous work begins to obtain the best Monastrell wines. Meanwhile, in the vineyards, temperatures begin to decrease, and the leaves gradually fall, but beforehand, the nutrients become reserves mainly in the arms, trunk, and roots of the vine. The vine has entered its phase of winter rest and dormancy.
Here are some photos of how our vineyards look like during the foliage and flowering phase occurring at this moment of the year:
