PROCESSES

GRAPE RECEPTION

Bunches enter through a conveyor belt, without suffering any damage, to a sorting table where six people finish the selection that has been made in the vineyard. Grapes are ready for destemming.

VINIFICATION

Bodegas RODA has two production warehouses, the classic warehouse with 17 vats and the modern warehouse with 18, all made of French oak that are renewed every ten years.

All the vats are equipped with individual pump-over pumps, temperature control probes and a cooling and heating system, the knockouts are manual. The capacity range is from 4.000 to 20.000 liters.

Grapes from different vineyards are vatting separately in different vats.

As a rule, it is fermented without seeding, leaving the native flora taking charge of the process.

Each vineyard requires tailor-made vinification, but in general terms the process consists of three phases: cold pre-fermentation maceration, fermentation and post-fermentation maceration. Vattings take place during 18 to 20 days.

DEVATTING

This is another of the fundamental moments of wine and to determine it, in addition to the daily analytics of each vat, a team of four people tastes each of the vinifications daily.

Wines are devat directly into the barrel and the skins are drained in two vertical presses.

MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION

From the first tests on MLF in our wines, we saw that the method that best suited the style we were looking for was to carry it out in 225-liter barrels.

The strict demands of lactic acid bacteria in terms of temperature conditions made us launch into an R & D & i project to develop a new concept of bioclimatic room in which we could carry out MLF and the natural stabilization of 1,200 barrels at the same time.

The project, listed as Eureka, was a resounding success and we built the first malolactic room heated by underfloor heating and cooling.

The wines are devat directly on French oak barrels, 50% new and the other 50% from a wine, keeping the vinified ecosystems separate.

We achieve 20ºC of temperature in the wine, maintaining humidity around 75%. During this process, the barrels are covered with a glass stopper and refilled daily.

Natural stabilization

The MLF ends during the month of December, at that time the underground heating is turned off and the natural stabilization process begins.

The room is provided with a large window on its north side that opens and lets in the cold wind of December, January and February. With this natural system temperatures around 6ºC are achieved that favor the decantation of the remains of yeast, bacteria and other particles in suspension in the wine.

Once the natural stabilization is finished, a racking is carried out, unifying the barrels of each plot and always keeping the vineyards separate.

AGING

En Roda, we have three aging cellars, two underground, dug into the rock, which we call, LA NAVE DEL CARDO, honoring a large wrought iron sculpture that represents the three thistle flowers that form our emblem and EL CALADO, an old tunnel from the 19th century that exits at a depth of 12 meters to a terrace over the Ebro river. The third cellar is the same one we use for the FML, we call it the NAVE T and for this process we start up the refreshing soil, achieving a temperature of 15ºC in the wine.

All three are used for the same purpose, being able to use their different climatic conditions depending on the different types of wine. The duration of barrel aging depends on each wine, but the usual norm is between 12 and 16 months.

THE COUPAGE:

RODA and RODA I

When the different wines have been in the barrel for a year, the definitive moment comes to assemble the plots that have the characteristics of RODA and those that have the character of RODA I. For RODA, red fruit wines go, with the aromas always present on the rim of the glass, ready to be appreciated immediately, with sweet spices and a festive freshness. In the palate, the red fruit should be the protagonist, with a fresh, long, silky mid palate and continuous volume. Important wines, perfect for gastronomy.

For RODA I there are black fruit wines, with aromas of great depth that slowly emerge from the depth of the glass and become large on the nose, with mineral, chocolate and black plum notes. In the mouth they must be fruity, voluminous, complex, enveloping and long, with melted tannins and a fresh sensation. Great wines, for gastronomy and reflection.

There are vineyards that one year will be part of RODA I and the following year they are part of RODA, there may even be years that do not enter the winery. It all depends on the whim of the annual meteorology and its interpretation in each ecosystem.

BOOTLE RACK

Bottle rack Both RODA I and RODA go on the market as reserves, therefore they have to spend three years between barrel and bottle. If they have been aged in barrels for between 12 and 16 months, they will remain in the bottle for at least 20 to 24 months.

We want the two wines to go on the market ready to drink but with life ahead to be able to improve for many years.