Like the 2020 harvest, we can say that the 2021 was very different from any previous harvests and that it cannot be compared with any other of similar characteristics.
While in 2020 the Covid-19 and the high temperatures of March were the main characteristics, this harvest was also quite particular. At the beginning, a light frost was registered on October 2nd, and small hail storms hit in December, January and February, in all cases without recordable damage. Although it began phenologically a little earlier, it was later delayed by the effect of the rains. They were mainly concentrated in February, doubling the historical average millimeter, thus creating more emotional damage on producers, rather than true sanitary damage.
The yields were totally heterogeneous. In the lower areas (Chacon, La Cañada and Lotes Barraquero), we registered increases of 25% while in the area that we call "the sleeve of the river", we had losses of up to 45%, especially of Malbec.
Regarding quality, we can summarize it as an average from "high to superior", especially in red varieties of short cycle (Pinot Noir, Merlot and Tempranillo) and of medium cycle (Malbec, Syrah and Cabernet Franc), while in those of long cycle (Petit Verdot and Cabernet), we had to keep waiting until an acceptable phenolic maturity was reached. Unlike many other wineries, we decided to wait up to 15 additional days, thus achieving results above the average for the area.
In conclusion, we can say that our Cabernet Sauvignon have a great quality together with an exceptional freshness and balance.
The situation of the white varieties was similar. While we decided to speed up the Sauvignon Blanc harvest, we waited to harvest the Semillon ?s, thus obtaining a perfect balance without any type of risk or sanitary damage.
Finally, we are very happy for having had a great harvest in qualitative terms, but also a very well organized one, thanks to the lessons learned last year during the pandemic. We believe that the new 2021 wines will be able to see the market quickly, while the reserve wines augur great potential for ageing.
