ABOUT THE PRODUCER: Barco del Corneta
In 2008, Beatriz Herranz and her mom, María, planted 5.5 hectares of Verdejo on old family land 2500 ft above sea level in the village of La Seca, Valladolid, in the Cantarranas estate.
In 2010, she gathered some friends, loaded up a van with grapes, and made 300 bottles of her first wine. The next year, she bought a second barrique and increased production. Since then she has purchased plots of old vines in nearby villages, set up a small winery, and continues to grow the project. Félix Crespo, a childhood friend and fellow winemaker, joined her efforts in 2016. Everything is done by hand and organically, with minimal intervention.
Beatriz aims to achieve an authentic expression of Verdejo and describes her wines as ‘swimming against the current’.
Beatriz and Félix chose to work outside of the Rueda DO, seeking flexibility to chart their own course. They want the freedom to make wines much better than the appellation; according to the acclaim they are already receiving, they are clearly achieving their goals. Beatriz and Félix have put their hearts and souls into rescuing the essence of Verdejo.
Beatriz aims to achieve an authentic expression of Verdejo and describes her wines as ‘swimming against the current’.
Farming / vinification practices : Barco del Corneta is certified organic. The vineyards are fertilized naturally, with sheep manure or grass that grows on the land. This natural cover crop is maintained from autumn to spring : the roots aerate the soil and reduce the number of tilling needed. In spring, when the rainy season ends, the cover is removed to avoid competition for nutrients between the grass and the roots of the vines. No insecticides are used : the sexual confusion technique allows to control the grape moth, endemic in the area. Yields are kept moderate. The grapes are harvested by hand and collected in boxes of 10 kg maximum. A first selection is made in the vineyard and a second one in the winery. Once the bunches are pressed with the stems, the must ferments in barrels with wild yeasts. Barco del Corneta is aged on its lees in 300, 500 and 600-liter French oak barrels, mostly used. After a very gentle fining and filtering, the wine rests in bottles for a few months before release. The wines are bottled under the Castilla y León DO.
