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DO Somontano is situated on a high plateau in the central
part of the province of Huesca in a beautiful area of verdant
green hills between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the
Ebro valley. The soil has a high proportion of sandstone and
clay together with a good deal of calcium, all of which is
ideal for the cultivation of vines. The region is sheltered
from the cold north winds by the Pyrenees. The climate is
continental with temperatures as high as 40 deg.C in the summer
and as low as -10 deg.C in the winter. The yearly average
is 11 deg.C, with 550 mm of rain and 2,700 hours of sun. DO
Somontano has long been a wine-growing area but in very recent
times it has been revitalised by new investment and modern
technology, and as a result it is now one of the most exciting
wine-growing regions in Spain.
Dalcamp,
founded in 1994, is a family-owned single Estate with 125
hectares of land, of which 27 are planted with Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot
vines. With a very clear objective as to the quality they
want to achieve, utmost care and pampering is given to their
Monte Odina vineyards, situated in Monesma de San Juan (Huesca),
the southern zone of DO Somontano. The use of well-balanced
fertilisers and natural manures ensures the well-being of
the vines. Samples of the soil and the vine leaves are analysed
every year and only recommended organic materials are used.
Yields are very much controlled to ensure they do not exceed
8,000 kg per hectare. The North-South orientation of the vineyards
and the cultivation of the vines on trellises allows the grapes
to have maximum exposure to the sun. This, and the fact that
there is little vegetation in the vineyards, prevents the
occurrence of problems like oidium and makes the use of fungicide
or weed-killer treatments unnecessary. The vines are only
watered in critical conditions and never after a minimum of
45 days before harvesting.
A
new winery with modern stainless steel installations and an
underground cellar with 85 new French and 85 American oak
casks has only recently been completed in the Estate. Castillo
de Monesma 1999 Crianza was the first wine produced by
the oenologist Pere Escude in this new winery. Total production
is 100,000 bottles. We are the appointed UK agents for Dalcamp.
NEW!
Click on the underlined grape varieties
for more information.
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