Over the last three months, during the State of Alarm, nature on our estate has continued to grow strong. The vines, and all the agricultural environment, have run their course, even accelerated by the heavy rains this spring.

This year has been particularly rainy; rainfall so far in this cycle is 661.5 mm – from October to May-; which means that we have had three successive years with good rainfall: 2018, 2019 and 2020. Gone are those years of extreme drought. It always rains in spring, but this was the second wettest April since1950.

These rains, so beneficial during the fall to help fill the soil’s water reserves and encourage vegetative growth of the ground cover, are now more delicate due to the threat of mildew.

We have controlled this fungus well thanks to good green pruning, phytotherapy (with nettle or horsetail), applications of silica or P501 and applying low doses of copper.

Now is the most beautiful and sensitive time for the grape: flowering. We hope that the dry winds of summer and all the work already done in the vineyard will help the flowering period to continue to be healthy and strong.

Our team has been in the fields every day at 7 on the dot to care for and monitor the growth of the fruit and ensure good control of the entire estate; the vineyard, our animals and other crops growing in the vineyards that have been left to rest.

Josep Lluís, Joan, Lore and the rest of the team have been busy continuing the work of pruning that had already begun in February and March; carefully selecting each leaf and treating each plot and variety individually. In the vineyard De La Plana, for example, we are training a young six-year old Xarelo: we leave some buds to form arms and a couple of buds for security; the rest is thrown on the ground so that the plant has more energy for its vegetative growth. And we did the same with the recently planted Malvasia. In these strains we have set up the lighting to direct the plant upwards, thus ventilating the lower parts.

 

As you know, our farm is a closed agricultural unit; where, in addition to the vineyard, we have forests, grain crops, a lake; it is a true Mediterranean mosaic.

The polycultures we have at Raventos i Blanc allow us to leave some plots to rest for a couple of years to strengthen the life of the soil; we have planted mustard, barley or other cereals on them. This spring, the barley sprouted strong and at the end of May, the hot days made it dry faster so we could mow and collect it. Now its pellets provide food for our workhorses.

We cannot forget the significant work required every day by the animal farm that co-exists in this closed ecosystem.

We have goats, sheep, horses… and other animals for our own consumption such as rabbits or chickens.

Our horses Henri, Crystal and François are now happy resting when they are not working; they spend the day together in the fields with no concerns. And our flock of sheep and goats graze peacefully in the wooded areas of the Serral; or in areas near the lake.

There is a reason for all the animals, as I have explained at other times: these flocks help us keep the ground, forests and margins clear, and also to generate compost for the biodynamic preparations: at specific times they also graze in the vineyard to control ground cover.

The estate extends over more than six hectares and our horses are a key element: they alone carry out the tasks of ploughing and sowing. Of course, they are central to our flagship plot, Clos del Serral; it is worked solely by horses with the help of man. In early April they worked hard tilling the ground cover to keep the soil fresh and clean.

We will not tire of repeating the significant benefits of animal traction.

Having a more structured soil and reducing soil compaction.

Caring for each plant individually.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Recovering an ancestral practice.

Spring is also the time for biodynamics; we applied the 501 silica preparation through the irrigation system; it stimulates the activity of the leaves by balancing the formation of substances. It strengthens the effect of light and heat on the plant. It helps us to have a good, balanced, and healthy vegetative growth, and contributes to the ripening of the fruit.

Each of these tasks, however small, enriches us and provides the desired butterfly effect. Thanks to the accumulated experience of more than twenty generations cultivating the same land we have a thorough and detailed knowledge of each of our vineyards in every wine cycle.

We are still working every plot, 44 in total, each with its own identity, to harvest their fruit with the best possible quality.

If you want to know what else we do every day in the winery, on the farm or in the vineyards, visit our social networks. Will you join us?