The Cellar
The Grape
Throughout the year we monitor all our vines grown under the gobelet system spread over different plots, and we respect their natural cycle. This type of old vine provides high mineral levels and greater complexity, because they are well adapted to the land. We are convinced that they give their best fruit only if we do not exceed 2.5 kilos per plant, about three bunches per vine. Once we have checked that the grapes in the bunches have reached optimum ripeness (the balance between sugars and acidity), we begin the harvest, which we always carry out by hand.
By hand
We collect the ripe grapes in small 15 kilo boxes. That way, they arrive whole and as clean as possible. Once in the winery, the grapes first go to the bunch selection table and are stripped. We even make a second selection on the grape table, a procedure so costly and old-fashioned that it is followed only for the great wines of the world.
Two meters underground
The cellar is a reflection and continuation of what we are seeking in our vines: making the best Ribera wine using the most practical, modern machinery. The building has been constructed with insulating materials brought in from industrial units, allowing us to insulate the wines from attacks by the weather outside. The iron F logo on the façade that welcomes people to our winery is related to the FOREST environment of the pines that conceal the building. Part of the unit has been half buried to make the most of the cool temperature conditions of the soil, avoiding the need for artificial chilling equipment.
The winemaker tells us his secrets:
"Prefermentation maceration with continuous monitoring, strict temperature control during fermentation, well-planned pumping over, adapted to the characteristics of each vintage, and good, natural oxygen management – not micro-oxygenation which we don't use at our winery…"
The right size
The wines are fermented in small tanks classified by vineyards. Bringing them together means we can obtain very personal wines, from which we decide the final coupage for that year's wine. The great secret kept by our winemaker is the mixture that will complete the process, which is then refined in barrels of almost a hundred per cent French oak.
In Ferratus wines, evolution and elegance depend on this wise combination between infinite toasty aromas never obscuring the leading role of the fruit. Ferratus wine will be different every year, but it will always be the best from that year. For this reason, the wines will never show the ageing time on the label. Only when we think the wine is sublime do we decide that it has to come out of the barrel. It then rests for another discretionary period, taking on a more rounded character. Human beings set no deadlines. Only the wine is in charge here.
The winemaker tells us his secrets:
"There are different barrel selections, origins and decisions on ageing time for each wine. We work with the best coopers. We test small batches of cask wine and we decide the combination of woods and toasted notes for our wines. However, there is a 97% predominance of French oak".
FERRATUS - BODEGAS CUEVAS JIMÉNEZ S.L.
09370 Gumiel de Izán (Burgos)
Tels. +34 947 679 999 / +34 638 007 140 / Fax. +34 947 613 873
