José María is committed to traditional viticulture as a lifestyle, convinced by the invaluable lessons that he learned from his grandparents.
We describe as “old vines” all those that were planted before 1965, following the process of massal selection.
Therefore, they are vines that maintain and represent the diversity of the pre-phylloxeric Tempranillo clone of La Horra and are perfectly adapted to our soil and climate conditions.
La Horra and its surroundings have more than 1,000 hectares of vines with their own unique character that are true to a long history, lost in time, thanks to an ancestral culture around the world of wine.
A constant challenge year after year. The extreme climate that sometimes punishes us with frost, hail and drought but sometimes rewards us with perfect growing conditions and grapes with perfect maturity, great fruit expression and magnificent balance.
A unique variety with myriad nuances offered by each of our varying plots and micro-plots.
Understanding our terroir and the conditions that surround it is our “know-how.” The vines tell us what they need at every stage. It is a dialogue that takes place at vine level with an appreciation that every vintage is different.
DRY CULTIVATION
We work within a philosophy of plant self-sufficiency and balanced ecosystems. For this reason (and as has always been the case in our area) we do not use irrigation. Deep winter ploughing combined with the water retention capacity of deep soils, provide the vine with moderate water stress during the ripening season, which results in exceptionally healthy and natural grapes.
SOIL SUSTAINABILITY
A healthy soil is a living soil, where organic matter is fundamental to the nutrition of the vines, so at Figuero we plough pruned trimmings back into the soil and use organic composts only.
HAND HAVERST
Our goal is to make sure that every bunch of grapes that arrives at the winery is in perfect condition. Therefore, we harvest by hand, using traditional wicker baskets. This initial selection requires expert hands which select and treat each cluster with the necessary delicacy.
PLANT HEALTH
Our know-how focuses on protecting life. We pamper our vines, remove the weeds that compete for moisture and nutrients with light ploughing in spring and with the manual hoe. We use plant infusions that help us improve the self-defense of our vineyards and allow us to minimize the use of copper and sulfur to the levels permitted in organic and biodynamic agriculture.
WORKING BY HAND
The manual work that takes place in the vines each year includes the following: Short and late pruning, which helps us protect the vines from frost in April. Green pruning, the removal of new buds to avoid overproduction. Vertical shoot trimming to improve ventilation. Cluster thinning – cutting out excess grape clusters of lower quality. All these manual tasks contribute toward the well-being of the plant, so that it feels comfortable and can give the absolute best of itself.
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