Choosing the optimal harvesting dates is one of the crucial tasks for Jumilla vignerons. Monastrell’s thick skins and long vine cycle mean that picking early can produce under-ripe wines with vegetal notes. On the other hand, harvesting late can result in over-ripeness and loss of freshness of flavour.

But thanks to the cool autumn nights and warm sunny days enjoyed at Jumilla’s altitudes during the ripening period, a window of optimal ripeness occurs, providing conditions for excellent phenolic ripeness and preservation of acidity. Since, most Jumilla vineyards are planted with low bush vines, the grapes are harvested by hand in small crates and carefully conveyed to the cellars to be sorted, de-stemmed, crushed and fermented.