Our vines can be found mainly in La Vid and San Juan del Monte, on the edge of the Burgos part of the Ribera del Duero (West-East). They are situated at an altitude of between 828m and 840m in poor gravely soils consisting of sand and clay.

This region is characterized by its moderate to low rainfall (450mm/year) and is known for the wide difference in temperature within each season with extreme temperatures in summer when at sun set the temperature is at around 12ºC and yet at midday reaches around 40ºC. These climatic conditions greatly influence the vine cycle playing a fundamental role in the development of the plant, the ripening of the grapes and the quality of the wines it produces.

The cycle of the vine is closely monitored and nurtured throughout the year by highly qualified people who add personality to our wines.

We have 40 hectares of vines of which 30 hectares are young and 10 hectares old vines (between 60 and 90 years old). The main variety grown is Tempranillo but we also have 3 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and one hectare of Merlot.

Viñedos El Lagar de Isilla

TEMPRANILLO

Growing Characteristics
Adapts well to the area the indentations around the leaf are closed and the underside is velvety and web-like. The bunches are medium sized double shouldered and compact.
Organoleptic Characteristics
The wines are of a deep violet colour, with noteworthy mulberry and blackberry aromas mingling well with black fruits of the forest. The tannin is structured to sweeten when overripe with a medium pleasant acidity.

CABERNET - SAUVIGNON

Growing Characteristics
Well suited to the Ribera. The indentations around the leaf are open and in a U shape. The underside is not particularly velvety or web-like. The bunches are small and compact with small spherical berries. Bud break is late and therefore ripens later that Tempranillo.
Organoleptic Characteristics
The wines have a high acidity, with noted aromas of green peppers which transform into notes of black fruit when ripened. Marked tannins.

MERLOT

Growing Characteristics
Although it adapts well to the area, it has difficulty forming and therefore has a low yield. The leaves are medium sized with open corners. The underside is web like and the petiole is smooth. The medium sized bunches are loose with bluish black berries. Late ripening.
Organoleptic Characteristics
It makes wines of medium acidity and has noteworthy dark fruit aromas which intermingle with notes of dried fruits. It has medium tannins.

Source: C.R.D.O. RIBERA DEL DUERO

Work the vineyard: tradition and respect for the vineyard

The hard work in the vineyard marks the difference between a good wine and an excellent wine. We follow a vine growing philosophy of standing by traditions and respecting the vine. The newly planted vines are trellis trained on a plantation of 2,500 vines per hectare whilst the older vines are in goblet formation and are planted at 4,000 vines per hectare with low yields producing less than 3,000 kilos per hectare making more expressive wines.

We treat the vine normally with products permitted in Ecological Agriculture such as sulphur and Copper sulphate yet limiting treatment to allow the vine to perform its natural cycle. We do not use systemic products that could alter the vine’s natural cycle. We implement traditional pruning methods, ploughing, green pruning, and cluster thinning etc.

From the 15th of August onwards we monitor the vines for bunch size, the amount of kilos per vine, and to see if the quality can be improved in any way.

Viñas nevadas El Lagar de Isilla

All of our vineyards are within a 10 km radius of the winery, enabling us to reduce the energy we consume in the use of machinery or treating the vines and travelling to and from the winery. We therefore confirm our dedication to the environment as we generate minimum waste and respect our surroundings.

 Ene Feb Mar Abr May Jun Jul Ago Sep Oct Nov Dic
Ciclo Anual
Reposo invernal              
Lloro                      
Brotación                    
Crecimiento pámpanos                
Floración                      
Cuaje                      
Envero                      
Pér. Madurez fruto                    
Agostamiento Pámpanos                  
Manejo
Poda invernal                
Fertilización                      
Poda verde                      
Acomodo pámpanos                    
Despunte                    
Aclareo racimos                      
Control hierbas                  
Control sanitario                
Vendimias                    

HARVEST

In our winery, we insist on using a healthy grape, with perfect ripeness to enable us to elaborate our well balanced wines with smooth tannins. From September onwards we do grape tastings on a weekly basis to establish the perfect moment to start picking.
Our demanding winemakers make sure that each vineyard is harvested at the perfect moment, even though sometimes we need to stop and start on various plots.

THE VEGETATIVE CYCLE

The vine lives in production for many years, sometimes up to a hundred, therefore, there is an annual vegetative cycle that culminates with the harvest to restart the following year. The annual cycle of the vine presents different phases that, in a simplified way, are exposed, referring them to the calendar.

THE PHASES OF THE VEGETATIVE CYCLE

January. The vine remains at rest from November to March, when its temperature increases with the increase in temperature. In this time, pruning is done, it is about cutting the branches of the last harvest because they do not bear fruit.

March-April. "Crying" appears as the first manifestation of the annual activity of tension. It lasts approximately three weeks and is named after the flow of colorless liquid in the pruning cuts. When a temperature of ten degrees is reached, an "outbreak" emerges that begins with a swelling of the shoots and small initial leaves or "foliation" appear.

May. At the end of this month, the "flowering" takes place. It consists of the opening of the flower with detachment of the corolla and fertilization. Vulgar fertilization is called "set of fruits". These initial fruits, very small, that form the cluster, are very acid and green, they are called "agraz". The climatic conditions at this moment are very important, since they will condition the fruit both in quality and quantity. At this time, it is convenient to oxygenate the soil and eliminate the competition of unwanted herbs.

June. When the buds of the strain have budded, a green pruning is performed, which consists of leaving a fixed number of stems (buds) per thumb, generally 2. The objective is to eliminate the excess plant mass of the plant to improve the yield and quality of the grape by increasing the area of ​​useful insolation and limiting the number of bunches per vine.

July-August. At the end of July, a phase called "veraison" is manifested. In it, the grains of grapes stop being green to become yellowish in the white and pink varieties in the inks. The grape begins to lose acidity and accumulates sugar. If the harvest is excessive, proceed to the "thinning", action to eliminate defective bunches or not mature so that the rest gain quality.

September. The "poisoned" grains go from being very acidic to being purely sugary, the skin of the grape softens progressively and in the inks it takes an intense colour. It is about ripening whose purpose is difficult to define and which ends with the harvest.

October. The harvest or cut of bunches is carried out to vinify. The winemaker will judge when appropriate, depending on the type of wine you want. If it continues, fresh and green wines appear, and if it delays it, wines of more grade and colour may appear. We harvest them in boxes of 15 Kg and we pass the harvest by cluster selection table and then by selection of grapes.

November. Already before the harvest, the tension is moving towards exhaustion. It is a path to the latent phase of winter. The branches harden, the sap accumulates in the stem and the leaf becomes tobacco coloured and falls. In March, another cycle will start again with "crying".