Chozas Carrascal

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The site is one of the coldest in the entire appellation zone due to its elevation of 720 m and its proximity to the Sierra Juan Navarro, from which the dominant northerly winds originate.
• The boundaries of the site are formed by higher ridges to the north, east, and west, which are not connected to one another, creating two gorges to the northeast and northwest through which gusts of northerly wind funnel at high speed.
• The southeastward extension of the Sierra Juan Navarro blocks a large proportion of the clouds arriving from the Mediterranean, so that rainfall at Chozas Carrascal is lower than in other parts of the appellation zone.
• The soil is basic-alkaline with a pH of between 8 and 9, loam-textured and tending toward clay loam or sandy loam, with low organic matter of around 1% and active limestone content of between 7 and 21%.
• The soils show low productivity and limited root development, as roots penetrate no deeper than 30 cm owing to the limestone layer present at that depth.

• The site was the first area in the appellation zone to cultivate non-native varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc, planted in 1992.
• The site has a high planting density, reaching in some cases more than 3,000 vines per hectare compared with the 1,600 vines per hectare typical of the appellation zone, ensuring that each vine yields no more than 4 kg of fruit.

• The wines have a high actual alcoholic strength, between 13.5 and 14.5% vol., together with good acidity of 4.5 to 5.5 g/l in total acidity.
• They are characterised by mineral aromas and a high level of tannin ripeness, which is reflected in excellent colour stability.

• The diurnal temperature range between day and night contributes to achieving a suitably high alcoholic strength and good acidity in the wines.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the specification (pliego de condiciones).

All appellations in Spain

Sources

• Specification (EUR-Lex, single document)
• National pliego de condiciones (PDF) — +5 varieties added
• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-ES-N1637
• Official trade body site — Chozas Carrascal