Spain (Codorniu)

Raimat wine cellar is located in a region called Costers del Segre in the southwest slope of Raimat hills. This location confers special and differentiated characteristics: higher sunlight exposure in the afternoon, which allows the grapes to accumulate more degree days, achieving an earlier ripening without losing acidity. These are well drained soils; the slight inclination of the fields confers a natural draining of the rain water. Being on the slope of the hill causes steady currents of air, which provides a natural cooling down, conferring a special microclimate.

The viticulture performed in this plot is ecological, where the green pruning is especially important: buds and leaves thinning is used to adjust the vine´s productive-vegetative equilibrium. The soil keeps a vegetal cover that contributes to increasing the biodiversity, plus controlling the erosion of the soil.

Climate: Costers del Segre region has a continental climate, with annual rainfall between 300 and 450 mm. Annual average temperature is around 15°C, but variations among the year are remarkable, going below 0°C in winter and overpassing 35 °C in summer.

Grape variety: Chardonnay and Tempranillo

Soil composition : lutites (mineral clay and limestone) with sandstone (compact fine sand).

Most important aspect of the Spanish site is that they will apply commercial vinification on the demo-site, and not micro-vinification: the area devoted to the site will be 3 ha, and therefore the final results will be comparable to a medium-size wine cellar, and therefore results will be representative of a commercial approach.