An innovative restructuring program will replenish Castiblanque’s old vineyards with newer, more noble grape varieties, within the next 3 or 4 years.

Back in 2001, we began uprooting Airen, the most abundant white grape variety in the world. Airen, which offers a high yield per plant, produces very neutral wines that are not particularly aromatic (only those aromas derived from their own fermentation). Likewise, throughout this year and next we will plant Tempranillo, which we have already had in the past.

An essential part of the renovation project was planting Moscatel de grano menudo ("white Muscat with little berries") in June 2003. This grape variety makes a sweet wine from the south of Spain (Jerez/ Sherry Region) and is wonderfully aromatic, rich in sugars and is normally made leaving its residues. However, Winery and Vineyards Castiblanque plans to produce a dry wine with this grape, using autochthonous yeast instead of the customary yeast to take advantage of the diverse aromas of the fruit. The result would be a young wine, from the current year, to match the Chardonnay and Macabeo.

Within 3 or 4 years, La Mancha’s fields will also see planting as diverse as Cabernet Sauvignon from Central Europe or Moscatel de grano menudo from the south of Spain and northern Africa.

Our meticulous monitoring of the field’s maturation is an important factor that sets us apart. After a thorough winter pruning, we try not to have an excessive spring flowering. When budding occurs, the agronomist engineer and enologist make their first visit to the vineyards to forecast the yield the plant will give and determine if it will be necessary to eliminate bunches manually to limit the production.

From July 15, approximately, up to the moment of the grape harvest, we make two weekly visits to each parcel of every variety to measure Baumé (sugar content), acidity and color intensity. Then, a graph is drawn up to help determine the ideal moment for harvesting.

When the vines produce a good flowering and berries appear, there’s an enormous potential yield in the crop. For Winery and Vineyards Castiblanque, it’s necessary not to punish the crop by forcing production, hence, we limit production to obtain the desired quality. An excessive yield is regulated by green prunings, irrigation control (a quality assurance method) and using organic fertilizer. Finally, we decide on the ideal amount to produce for every parcel of land.

The irrigation is used, among other things, in a controlled manner. When the grape harvest date has been set, the end of the irrigation is determined to stress the plant further improving the grapes’ quality. The frame of the plantation also improves grape quality.

The frame of the plantation, previously 250x250 with a density of 1,600 plants per hectare, are thickening up to a density of nearly 3,000. These vines, when cultivated under stress, produce less quantity but better quality of grapes.

The fertilizer is limited to the use organic material. We have only used chemical treatment in order to recover plants that had been in danger of dying during their initial growth cycle, for example, a 30-year-old red variety. This grape is ecologically interesting because it is recognized as an important winemaking legacy.

Grape collection is done during the coolest parts of the day. The grapes are then transported rapidly in boxes, to ensure its entry into the wine vault at a temperature between 10 and 11 degrees C. Thus, when the grape is pressed, the must is fresh and the conditions of fermentation are more favorable.