The age of the vines and the terroir show us the way
The twenty hectares under vines the family cultivates are completely located in th municipality of Anguix, at the foothills of the Manvirgo table-mountain, on about eight-hundred and ten metres above sea-level. Several small mountain-chains divide the area into small and individual units. In this regin the cycle of vegetation is short, frost is frequent, high temperatures during the summer cause big differencs of temperaure between day and night, a fundamental issue to reach well matured phenols. In general the soil is poor in orgnic material, argilliferous earth dominates, with limestone below. There is few rainfall, on average it does not exceed 430 mm per year. All the vineyards they cultivate are run strictly organic, now they are also certified as organic plots.
Cultivating the vineyards the traditional way, the classical way, results in really low yields. The so obtained grapes form the base of the wines: YOTUEL
VALDEPALACIOS
VALDEPALACIOS
Valdepalacios is a very typical vineyard for those times, it got planted at the end of the third decade of the last century. In those times vine-growers used to plant various grape-varieties in just one plot. In this case it is Tinta del País, completed by some Albillo and a handful red varieties, Garnacha is one of them. The plot of about 1,1 hectares is planted at the foothills of the Manvirgo table-mountain, on the slopes of a small hill, falling down towards south-east. Valdepalacios consists in argilliferous soil with some limestone and a little bit of sand. On the upper part it is quite compact. The vines are head-pruned, trained in a Gobelet style. For the family this is a very important plot, maybe the reference plot of all. The first wine the winery released was made from grapes picked, there: 2005 YOTUEL Viñas Viejas, the beginning of the terroir wines at that winery.
LA MORRIS
LA MORRIS
This plot is situated in the very South of the municipality, in the bottom of a small valley. It is owned by Lucia Zapatero. Planted in the 40th of the last century again it is a plot (0,8 ha in total) where different grape-varieties can be found. It mainly consists in Tinta del País, but, especially where limestone and sand are present, in Palomino. In general it consists in clay and loam. Due due its situation it gets often affected by climatic challenges. The grapes picked there ar é used for the Yotuel Selección.
OTERO
OTERO
Otero got planted by Bienvenido Gallego, the grandfather of the owners of the winery in the Twentieth of the twentieth century. Tho plot is located in tehe very South of the municipality, at the lateral part of a small valley, sloping down towards south-east. The plot, eight-thousand square-metres in total, consists in compact clay mixed with some limestone. The clone used here is very typical for Anguix: loose graspes amd small berries. Due to the age of the vines the yields are very low. The grapes are used for the Yotuel Selección wine.
FUENTECOJO
FUENTECOJO
This plot got planted in the year two-thousand, on a small hill, direction north-south, the vines are trained in c´the classical bush-style. The plot consists in three different parts: compact clay, clay with pebble-stones, and pebble-stones mixed with sand. The clone used here gives grapes of normal siye, the yields are moderate. This plot was used in the winery for first time in twenty-sixteen, it forms part of the Yotuel.
SAN MIGUEL
SAN MIGUEL
This plot, owned by Felisa Gallego, got planted in the second decade of the last century. It is located at the northern limit of the municipality, on a small hil, falling down towards the North. On the upper part it consists in compact clay while on the slopes one can find clay mixed with some sand. In cold and wet years this plot is challenging while in hot years it is excellent, the soil can keep well the scarce rainfall. Most of the vines are Tinta del País, on the slopes there are some white vines. Until vintage two-thousand and eight the grapes got used for the Yotuel Selección; in that year for first time the single-vineyard wine Finca San Miguel got made: three barrels of 225 litres, each.
MOLINO
MOLINO
Molino got planted in the year ninety-five, the over-all surface rounds 1,2 ha, the vines are trained in Cordon style. It is located in the middle of a small valley, the soil is compact, it consists in clay. The grapes are of normal size, the yields are moderate, but one has to supervise strictly the cycle of vegetation. Molino often gets affected by frost, in spring but also end of September, this lowers the yields notably. The grapes sourced there oet used in the winery in 2007 for first time, the crop forms part of the Yotuel.
CAMINO VIEJO
CAMINO VIEJO
The Camino Viejo plot got planted in the Eightieth of the last century, about 0,65 ha under vines, it is trained in a trellis system. This is ome of the oldest plots trsined this way in the whole region. At the western limit it is protected by a forest of pines, the sandy soil is really dry, there. Further towards the East this chsnges, clay now is much more important. The clone used gives small berries and small grapes but of moderate yields. The grspes picked there are used for th Yotuel Selección.
LA CAÑADA
LA CAÑADA
La Cañada, 1,4 ha in total, got planted in the year twenty fifteen. It is located on a flat part in the North of Anguix, the soil consists in sand, quite stony at some areas. The clones used are scions taken in the Valdepalacios plot, to source loose grapes with small berries. In the year eighteen the crop got used for first time, it forms part of the Yotuel.
LA NAVA
LA NAVA
La Nava was planted in the year ninety-six, a plot of about 0,8 ha. It is located in the north-eastern part of the municipality, not so far away from the Manvirgo table-mountain. This mountain often causes climatic challenges, especially hail and strongly blowing wind can harm. The soil consists in compaact argilliferous earth, mixed with some sand at the northern limit; the plot slopes smoothly down towards the North. The clone used gives small berries and loose grapes, the wine always shows notes of fresh red fruit. In two-thousand and seven the crop got used for the Yotuel Selección, beginning with the following vintage this is a single-vineard wine, five-hundred litres in the first year, up to two-thousand litres in some later years.
PINCHARRATAS
PINCHARRATAS
On a small hill, falling down towards the West, Pincha Ratas got planted in the year two-thousand and seven. The plot, 0,6 ha in total, consists in limestone on the upper part and clay with alluvial material in the lower part. The clone used gives small berries, the yields are low. Since vintage ten the grapes are used both for the Yotuel and the Yotuel Selección.
DUJOS
DUJOS
With an over-all surfae of about 1,4 ha Dujos is one of the biggest plots the Gallego Zapatero family counts on. The plot is located in the North of the village, in a small valley, on compact soil of clay. In the lower part, close to the bottom of the vaalley, the soil is quite fertile. The vines, directed east-west are trained in a trellis system, they got planted in the year two-thousand and seven. The grapes and the berris are of normal size. Due to the location it is highly affected by frost, both in spring and in autumn. The grapes are used in the winery since the year two-thousand and seven, they normally form part of the Yotuel. In some years, two-thousand and eight for example, they did not process the grapes in their own winery.
SAN MIGUEL JOVEN
SAN MIGUEL JOVEN
This plot got planted in the year nineteen, with 2,1 ha it is the biggest plot the winery owns. It is located next to the old San Miguel plot, in the North of Anguix, on a small hill, falling down towards north-west. The soil consists in clay, in the lower part mixed wiwth some sand. Here, different clones of Tempranillo got planted, but always small berries and a low level of prodution. The grapes picked there are still not used in the winery.