General Precedents

The wine season 2006-2007 has come to its end, with big innovations and interesting results.
As our temperature records indicate, spring in the Leyda Valley was cold enough to delay all the physiological processes of the grapevines. The flowering was particularly long, producing a decrease in the clusters and therefore looser and lighter clusters and also minor yields in the crop, in relation to the 2006 vintage. This forced us to be very efficient in the irrigation and the cultural management, since one of our aims was to support the small berries so as to achieve the concentration and tipicity, characteristic of Leyda's wines.
During the summer months, the average maximum temperatures were in the historical average.  This means between 25 - 26ºC, favoring the slow maturity of the clusters. This allowed to obtain in all the varieties a very high acidity and very low pH (white wines 3.1-3.2, red wines 3.35-3.55). As a result, fresh and balanced wines with plenty of fruit.
During these months it rained 8mm (February 16), but lucky enough, it did not carry us any problems. The canopys were nicely aireadas and the clusters separated between them.

The rest of the season was dry. This allowed us to work tidily and we were able to program the crops in the best way, tasting the grapes day after day and analyzing every parameter of the crop.
With regards to the volumes harvested, alike the white and the red grapes, they were inferior with regards to season 2006. The reasons, as mentioned previously; less curdles, and the search of the viticultural/enological team for a better balance in the plants, a suitable ripeness and finally an excellent quality, they led us to making a more rigorous and efficient selection of the clusters.

Varieties

The innovation of this year was our Syrah's first crops. We are very enthusiastic with the result of this vine-stock, since the fruit, the must and the wine have shown very interesting organoleptic characteristics. A lot of freshness, red fruits and white pepper are predominant in this Syrah.
The Sauvignon blanc this year stands out for its aromatic intensity, high acidity and minerality.  The healthy grapes and slow maturation produced by the low temperatures and good canopy management had as aim the special care of the skins which produced these qualities.
The management of the Chardonnay was "riskier". Changes were made in the prunning with the objective of obtaining minor yields and more homogeneous clusters in maturity. The result was of more concentrated wines, full of fruit and simultaneously very fresh and elegant.
We did our Riesling's first commercial crop. Though the plants are very young, the wine already shows an interesting tipicity, which makes us think about the great potential that this grape has in Leyda.
Undoubtedly that the Pinot Noir is always the most complicated vine-stock, but simultaneously the one that gives us more happy moments. This year, this variety characterized by giving us a red intense fruit with great concentration, live and deep colors, round tannins and complexity.
The other red varieties were characterized by the difficulty that there was reaching maturity. It was necessary to wait quite a bit of time, but the good climate helped us and we could harvest at the right time.

This year the red wines are characterized by the low pH, intense colors and freshness, round tannins and soft textures.