In the early hours of today, Monday, August 19, the 2024 harvest season began at Bodega Sommos. We started with the Gewürztraminer variety, under the moon’s light, taking advantage of the significantly cooler nighttime temperatures. Additionally, this year we are introducing a new press that will allow the white grape varieties to enter the winery more quickly, thereby preventing oxidation and better preserving their organoleptic properties.
Production is expected to be lower than in previous years, although we anticipate an excellent harvest in terms of quality. “In 2024, the early spring was very rainy and somewhat cold, which reduced our production in the more northern areas. However, thanks to the rainfall, we were able to develop a vegetative cover crop that helped us maintain an optimal balance in the vineyard, thus regulating its vigor and producing higher-quality grapes with an optimal balance between acidity and sugars” says Carlos Duque, our Director of Viticulture.
On the other hand, our winemaker, José Javier Echandi, explains that “the new press will allow us to make the most of the nighttime harvest, as the effort we put into harvesting during the cooler hours is complemented by a swift and highly efficient handling of the grapes, ensuring that we can optimally preserve all their aromatic characteristics.”
Fresh and juicy wines thanks to selective and nighttime harvesting
Not only due to the year’s weather but also because of our approach to viticulture and winemaking, at Sommos we expect “a profile of fresh white wines, with good acidity and great aromatic expression.” As for the reds, they are expected to be “juicy, with varietal typicity, and flavorful, elegant palates.”
As in previous campaigns, the harvest is carried out selectively and at night, avoiding the hottest hours of the day. “Once the grapes are in the winery, we perform different selection processes, such as sizing, mechanized optical sorting, and manual selection. This allows us to choose the best grapes in a controlled environment where temperature and conditions are regulated, ensuring the highest quality of the grapes,” our winemaker explains.
From august in Finca Torresalas to october in the Murero winery
The Gewürztraminer variety with which we have begun the 2024 harvest comes from the Finca Torresalas. Once all the Gewürztraminer has been harvested, we will continue with other white varieties from the same estate, such as Chardonnay. The harvest will continue with the overlap of white and red varieties, depending on the vineyard and its agroclimatic conditions.
In approximately 45 days, we expect to complete the harvest at our Güel vineyard, the northernmost one we have. When the work at Güel is finished, the entire team will move to Sommos Garnacha, the D.O. Calatayud winery located in Murero (Zaragoza). There, we will begin harvesting the old bush-trained Garnacha vines, so the harvest will not conclude until October.
