Pittacum

Pittacum is a project initiated in 1999, the revived Bierzo designation of origin, province of Leon. The passion for wine three partners moved to Ponferrada to bet on the native red variety Mencia in his native region. Thus, Pittacum launched its project in the natural landscape of the region Berciana, the idea being to convey the personality of the wines of Mencia. Later in the summer of 2002, Terras Gauda, ​​a manufacturer of prestige in O'Rosal, Rias Baixas, joined the project and acquired 65% of Pittacum.

The technical management of the winery is run by Elisa Gomez and Alfredo Marques, who also runs the vineyard. The geographical location of some plots slashing the margin of cultivation of the vine by topography, altitude and climate. The latter imposes conditions with low temperatures at night involving changes of up to 26 ° C on day. Weather conditions, reduce the cycle of the plant two to three weeks compared to other nearby areas.The average temperature during the growing season is about 17 ° C, an aspect that emphasizes the aromatic potential of Mencia.

Only have 5 acres of vineyards. These are planted on very steep slopes and not distributed among the municipalities of Arganza, Valtuille, Villafranca and Ponferrada. The entire vineyard is planted with the red variety Mencia. Are strains with a mean age of 60 to 70 years, grafted onto American rootstock Rupestris Lot, very resistant to diseases often associated vineyards, such as mildew, powdery mildew, or podedrumbre gray, and with good adaptation to soils rocky. Of all his payments, the quality of the grape that gives the plot Areixola with 1 hectare, situated at 800 meters, and a planting density of 5,000 vines per hectare offering yields of 5,900 kg / ha. In addition to farm their land, also buy grapes from 20 hectares of Mencia even older, 80 years old. In these plantations, 15 acres are planted on a slope and the rest on steep slopes, which emphasizes the payment's Causeway, with 1.3 hectares, A vineyard cultivated on a floor of slate and quartzite curiously facing north on a gentle slope and 850 meters. The system offers trimming in glass yields barely kg of grapes per vine.
The vinification are carried out in stainless steel tanks of various volumes (15,000 l., 10,000 L., 7,500 l. And 5.600l.) Where they get to remove all the fruity character of the grape. Raising the wines in American oak barrels -40% - and French -60% - of 225 liters. Annually renew their stock of barrels by 33% to avoid the aging of these.
Pittacum has been one of the first wineries that showed a new version of Mencia.