We tend 22 hectares (54 acres) of vineyards divided up into 27 different plots. This large number has the advantage of enabling us to harvest plot by plot, individualise each one and bring out the very best of each plot in the vinification.
The vineyards are planted with traditional low bush vines on well exposed slopes and plains composed of poor, sandy soils in a patchwork of different small plots, all of them with pronounced medieval place names, such as Zunbrin, Carraquintana, Mazalcastaño, La Roja, Taurete, Fuente Salud and so on.
The vines in these vineyards have an average age of 50 years.
The arrival of the grapes at harvest reception is staggered according to the ripeness of each plot. Beforehand, the ripeness of the bunches is carefully monitored and tested in each of the parcels so as to determine the optimal time for picking.
Thanks to the age of our vines, the concentration of the juices is always very high.
The wine-making process at Pico Cuadro is specifically designed to extract maximum potential from our grapes, the totality of which is the Tinta del País variety, our indigenous grape.
Key factors in the vinification of Pico Cuadro.
Exhaustive controls are carried out in the 25 different plots, harvesting is staggered and adapted to each parcel according to the ripeness and health of the grapes. The grapes are picked by hand in small 12 kilo crates, which are then transported quickly in small quantities to our winery and vinified with the greatest possible care.
The grapes are sent along two sorting tables: the first to sort the bunches, followed by a second, after de-stemming, to sort the berries. These are then transferred by gravity to French oak vats for the alcoholic fermentation. The malo-lactic fermentation is also done in oak.
Each batch of wine is traceable throughout the ageing process in barrels until it finally goes into bottle. The ageing time in barrel is no less than 12 months in 100% French oak barrels that are no older than three years.