Recaredo’s 2019 vintage year
The 2019 vintage reflects an exuberant and demanding harvest notable for the excellent health of the grapes and the quality of the indigenous varieties we grow. We began harvesting by hand on 22 August, starting with the Macabeu variety and finishing in early October with Parellada grapes grown at an elevation of over 600 metres – the highest vineyards in the Penedès region. As always, Xarel·lo is the standout on our biodynamic estates, displaying remarkable purity and freshness.
A year of contrasts. With the memory of abundant autumn rains, and after an especially cold, dry winter, spring comes and Recaredo’s vineyards gradually awaken and begin to teem with life. The buds break later than usual, but showers in March and April allow the plants to grow with exceptional vigour.
Summer brings occasional heat waves in June and July, with record temperatures of over 40 °C. Fortunately, our vineyards aren’t adversely affected: the good vegetative development of the plants shields the grapes from the sun’s harsh rays.
Phytotherapy garden. On one edge of the Serral del Vell estate, we plant our own phytotherapy garden. There, we start growing valerian, yarrow, chamomile and dandelion, which we will later use to make biodynamic preparations. To irrigate this garden, we use an age-old system that involves burying earthenware jugs in the ground – a method that’s especially effective in calcareous soils. The water-filled pitchers slowly release the liquid through pores on their surface, distributing the water to the roots of the plants.
Intensity and precision. Based on the principle of minimal intervention and respect for the true character of each variety, the Recaredo team works intensively and with precision during the harvest to obtain grapes that can be transformed into a liquid representation of the landscape – wines that are naked, honest and true. This, in essence, is the philosophy that guides our activity as winegrowers, an approach that we pursue with steadfastness and determination.
