First Dominio Fournier Tale

This is the first of the “Dominio Fournier Tales”, written from the heart and inspired by the truth and the satisfaction of a job well done. On this occasion we take a look back over the experiences of our winemaker Marian Santamaría.

The interview reveals the artisan spirit that guides day-to-day life at the winery.

P/What has this year been like in the vineyard and at our winery?

R/ 2020 is a year that will not easily be forgotten. Circumstances dictate and, without a shadow of a doubt, are marking our lives. The same is true of the vineyards and there has been considerable uncertainty throughout the growing cycle, although the final outcome has been very good, even better than expected.

Spring was one of the wettest of recent years and meant that our technical experts had to take special care to keep the vines and the fruit healthy. Also, there was a greater need than usual for green pruning and to keep the vegetative growth and yields per hectare under control. This all meant that in the last stage of the cycle the grapes ripened without any problems and delivered what we were looking for.

P/ How would you describe this harvest?

R/Early in terms of dates as it began on 28th September and finished on 11th October, following a short break due to rain, which put paid to picking for a few days.

Even so, it was a quality harvest, with healthy grapes that produced deep, strongly coloured wines with very concentrated tannins that we expect should offer good potential for ageing. Do remember that average yields in our vineyards are under 3,500kg/Ha.

P/ What do you feel when you see the year’s work/the must in the winery now?

R/Relief, pride and huge aspiration that came from many hours of sunshine and work that we hope will be reflected in the wines when they are in the barrels and, later, when they are drunk by those who buy them.

P/What details about your daily work would you highlight?

R/Dedication, selection, control, … and, most definitely, care.

P/What is it about the work that is done in the winery that you would describe as artisan?

R/Ours are limited production wines that involve a lot of manual work, from hand-harvesting to the barrel work (filling them, racking…) to bottling and packing every bottle before sale. There are no two ways about it: the number of hours we devote to each bottle is similar to what a craftsman spends on every object he makes before it leaves his workshop.

P/What emotions do this vintage’s wines stir in you?

R/These seem to be pretty powerful, deep wines on the whole and look like they will be resilient in the face of the passage of time and will be fantastic for laying down.

P/What do you think consumers will feel when they taste our Crianza? And what about the Reserva?

 R/I don’t know what they will feel but we like to think their expectations will be met.

If we make people want to have another glass, open another bottle or recommend the wine, we will be happy because that is the biggest proof that the job has been well done.

As to the difference between the Crianza and the Reserva, I think I would keep the Reserva for a quiet, unhurried moment and have the Crianza to break open on a more animated occasion such as at a get-together with friends, a celebration…

P/ How do you think these wines should be enjoyed?

R/ In good company, that’s for sure. You have to create a moment and celebrate something ordinary – that can be a great excuse!

We make our wines with the hope that they will be savoured and enjoyed – you just need to figure out when, where and who with.