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VALLFORMOSA PARTNERS WITH OVER 400 GRAPE GROWERS
VALLFORMOSA HAS MADE A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT AT EVERY
STAGE OF PRODUCTION
markets. “Fortunately, our winery is in a good place and covers every segment,
which means we can hope for significant value growth”, says Langa González.
Volumes may be lower but there is no shortage of growth.
VALLFORMOSA, A BODEGA WITH A MISSION
Harvesting promised to be challenging with output set to be over 50% down
in some blocks, but ultimately the winery picked just 15% less than expected,
which is a much lower drop than the rest of the industry, points out communications
director Sílvia Rodríguez Rubio. “Vallformosa is located in a part of the
region [Penedès] which coped slightly better with the drought. With the exception
of some grape varieties, like Chardonnay and Pinot noir, which suffered a
lot this year, the other cultivars adapted better to the extreme weather conditions.
Ultimately, ripening went well”.
To tackle the drop in production, the winery had to buy more grapes from more
growers – it partners with over 400 farmers. And to compensate for the losses,
it was more than willing to increase its purchase prices to show solidarity with
its partner growers. Also, adds Rodríguez Rubio, “We have now been providing
farmers with solutions for adapting to climate change for the past three
years”. Vallformosa has introduced “courses to educate growers about ways of
pruning that are mindful of sap flows, which improves resistance to drought”,
along with videos about vineyard management techniques that promote water
108 WINTER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE