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Malumbres Graciano:
Graciano is a variety which represents less than 0.5% total surface of vineyards in Navarra. Our experience during the nineties with Graciano as a variety to complement our other grapes was very positive for which we went ahead and in 1996 we made Malumbres Graciano y Cabernet Sauvignon Crianza 1996, 50% each variety, and the next step was Crianza 100 % Graciano in the vintages of 2000 and 2001. We are very satisfied with our Graciano Wines and in a vertical tasting in April 2005 we found the Graciano and Cabernet 1996 to remain powerful, fresh and fruity and exactly the same as the Crianzas of 2000 and 2001.
The vineyards of Bodegas Vicente Malumbres were planted by Vicente Malumbres Hernando from 1940 to 1990 and they are the base of the Malumbres Wines. Malumbres bring in small quantities of grapes or Wines from regular suppliers to complement their own production. The Malumbres vineyards thanks to its clay, limestone and gravel soils produce Wines of excellent quality. The diversity of the soils together with the varying exposure of the vines to sunshine, gives each estate its individual character, leading to differences in character in the grapes and eventually in the tasting characteristics in each wine..
The objective of Bodegas Vicente Malumbres´ viticultural policy is to produce grapes of the highest possible quality which will reflect in the quality of its wines. This objective has led to the development of viticultural techniques which treats the environment with the greatest possible care. No mineral fertilizers are used and only organic matter in the form of mature sheep manure is periodically applied.
Herbicides are not used under any circumstances for the control of weeds. Regular manual weeding and hoeing are therefore carried out, guaranteeing that none of our Wines we produce carry any risk of residues resulting from chemical herbicide spray treatments.The main compound used for fungicidal disease control (powdery mildew) is sulphur.
The ripening process is one of the most crucial processes in the vineyards,and we make a strict following of it in order to determine the optimum moment to harvest.
From the second half of August until the moment the grapes are picked, samples of grapes are taken from the vineyard. The following parameters are analysed in the laboratory: probable alcohol content, pH, total acidity, potassium, total anthocyanins, easily extractable anthocyanins,total polyphenols, colour intensity, tannins, weight of berries.