“We had to start off by having our own vineyard. After studying conscientiously different areas, grounds, climates and so on, we chose the Villena area and to be exact we acquired property Casa Balaguer, whose wine tradition goes back to the XIX century.
This property is located in the valley between Villena and La Cañada. Sierra del Morrón and its Solana are in the North. In the South is Sierra de la Villa, creating a microclimate and excepcional culture conditions.
The altitudes above sea level oscilate between 550 and 600 meters and many different types of ground are combined (as many as ten different grounds), with their particular microclimate, with plots and vineyards of old Monastrell (between 40 and 50 years old), where we
have still vineyards with Pie Franco (foot of the land), with minute outputs. This allows us to return to the old agriculture and why not, to the old oenology but inserting some new techniques.
The wine cellar has 40 hectares of own vineyard, where Monastrell variety is predominantly cultivated. It is also cultivated Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauviñon, Merlot and Syrah, with different clones, feet and ages, as well as ways of cultivation, orientations and so on. We are trying with varieties like Graciano, Malbec and so on, in order to see their acclimatization to the area. We are also working deeply with the Garnacha Tintorea variety and shortly we will try to achieve a monovarietal wine.
The key element of a great wine starts in the farm land, in the vineyard. Technical and economical efforts are made in order to reduce the production, between 3 000 and 3 500 kilogrammes per hectare. We try that the grain does not grow too much and for that the plant is subjected to a constant controlled water stress. So that the plant is to the limit of survival and grapes achieve the maximum degree of concentration. The use of chemical fertilizer or pesticides are respected as well as the environment, the ground and the plant, having asked for the admission of the land to the ecological agriculture.
The wine harvest is in boxes of 20 kilogrammes so as not to break the grain of grape. Grain must arrive at the wine cellar as well as possible and we succeed because the movement is minimum as the wine cellar is at the foot of the land. In the farm land only the best bunches are harvested, making a previous selection in the land itself. In the wine cellar all the grapes are again selected, eliminating leaves, remains of wine harvest and all the bunches not useful to make wine with the philosophy of quality of our wine cellar. Grapes are also selected depending on the type of vineyard, ground, way of cultivation, orientation, and so on, and depending on the type of wine that we want to produce (Young, Vintage, Reserva).”
Wines in portfolio
- Beryna 2008, Monastrell and five other varietals
- Casa Balaguer 2006, Monastrell and five other varietals
- Beryna Seleccion 2005, Monastrell and five other varietals
More info @ http://www.bodegasbernabenavarro.com
What does Penin says about Beryna 07 (91 points), Beryna Seleccion 06 (94points) and Casa Balaguer 06 (94points).