Dominio de la Vega is located in the heart of the Requena - Utiel region. From this enclave surrounded by vineyards, we are devoted to the aging of wines and the production of Cavas, registered as Designation of Origin for Utiel - Requena and Cava. Geographically speaking, the region is a circular plateau with a diameter of 45 km at an altitude of between 697 m (Siete Aguas) and 907 m (Camporrobles) above sea level.
Among other water courses, it is irrigated by the Magro river, fed through ravines which descend from the high areas of Camporrobles and Sinarcas, guaranteeing a continuous flow that makes up a series of alluvial terraces and gives rise to "LA VEGA". Sandy and conglomerate soils predominate, with many clay and marl bands. It has a typically Mediterranean climate, although with marked Continental characteristics due to its altitude and distance from the sea.
The average annual temperature according to the observatory of the Enological Station is 13.9°C. The winters are long and cold and the summers are short with high temperatures at midday, dropping during the night due to the Solano or Levante winds. Rainfall is scarce, with an annual average of 430 litres per square metre, which most often falls after the grape harvest. With these climatic and geographic characteristics, it is no surprising that vine growing has been a basic way of life for the inhabitants of this region.
If we explore its history, the remote origin of wine making is placed in the area of Villares (Kelin) where in 1995 a few grape pips were found in the sediment of the main living-area of a dwelling dating from the 5-6th Century BC (amphoras dating from the 7th Century BC have also been discovered).
Vine growing has been part of the agricultural activity in the area since the 13th Century, and it became such a renowned way of live that Alfonso X the Wise bestowed the title of BINADEROS to those in Requena who were guardians of the vines three months before the grape harvest. The Requena 1479 bylaws insisted on having guardians and prohibited the introduction of 'foreign wine' and, in the same way, the VEDADOS of the Villa de Utiel of 1514 ordered that no inhabitant "dare to harvest the grapes until ordered by the authorities of the moment so as to let them ripen".
Thanks to this tradition and the flowering of vine growing and wine making in recent times, consequence of the coming closer of the region to the Port of Valencia and the powdery mildew crisis in Europe, we find today the breeding ground required for the production of wines and Cavas with the essential analytical parameters so that experts rate them as QUALITY WINES with Designation of Origin. And this, from the most traditional grapevine vitis vinifera varieties in the area: Bobal, Tempranillo or Cencibel, Macabeo and Garnacha, to which Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot have been added in recent years with excellent results.
At Dominio de la Vega, we believe that this environment is unbeatable for the production of wines and Cavas, and that is why we acquired a house-cellar that is known as Casa del Conde, close to San Antonio, in Requena, in the geographical centre of the region, whose construction was commissioned by the Count of Villamar at the end of the 19th Century.
After great deal of work, we managed to restore and recover its winepresses and underground cellars which are being used as cellars where the wines and Cavas lie for as long as necessary to aging without rush, in whole darkness and peace, at a perfect temperature. The choice of the Casa del Conde had a lot to do with its location amongst the vines, as it avoids the need for lengthy transport of the grapes from the vines to the cellar. It has to do as well with being a peaceful and sunny place and, to a certain extent, with its orientation and the shadow effects of the old pine trees, a landscape where light and contrasts pervade.
We produce wines and Cavas according to traditional methods, with loving care and great devotion. Nevertheless, this has not prevented us from using the latest wine-making technology to carry out, supervise and control a complex process by which the grapes ofour vineyards are transformed into fine, elegant, pleasant and enjoyable wines, which help us to express our emotions freely and to obtain greater happiness, if possible, for an instant, and to make this instant endure amongst us.
At Dominio de la Vega, we strive to produce wines that offer pleasant sensations to those who drink and taste them. We therefore take great care with the process and strictly control the whole winemaking process, from the grapes in the vineyard to the bottle on the table and up to that triumphant moment when all the effort put in is rewarded by the appreciation of our consumers.
Our work starts in the vineyard. At the time of pruning, the leaf buds are already controlled, and this continues throughout spring and summer. The same happens during the sprouting and growth of the vines. Before the grapes are taken to the cellar, the ripening process of the grapes is carefully monitored; they are picked depending on their general state and on the results of the different analyses which tell us the best time to harvest them. The grapes are then finally transported to the cellar in such a way as to ensure that they suffer as little damage as possible.
Dominio de la Vega Brut
Selection of Macabeo vineyard parcels, chosen for freshness (acidity) and aromatic potential. The grapes are cooled at 10°C ready to be pneumatically pressed using only the first run juice (60% yield). Cold decanting-cleaning without clarifying agents. Controlled fermentation at 16º-18ºC for 15 days.
After blending together the different wines, we start bottling in the first few months of the year. Second fermentation and aging take place in our cellars at 16°C.
