Since its foundation, VIÑAS DEL VERO has mainly focused on the development of a quality, sustainable and environment-friendly viticulture industry. Based on these three pillars, we not only produce wines with Denomination of Origin Somontano with a plus of warranty and differentiation, which meet the requirements and expectations of our customers, but also protect and respect the environment and boost sustainability in the environments in which we operate.
In terms of Quality, VIÑAS DEL VERO provides training courses to inform and make the organization’s staff aware of both the importance of their participation and responsibility in the quality of the products and services provided.
In terms of Sustainability, VIÑAS DEL VERO strengthens and develops the following pillars to assure all activities are environment sustainable. These pillars are:
- the ecological variable and its natural environment
- the economical variable
- the social-cultural variable
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
ENVIROMENTAL EROSION.
VIÑAS DEL VERO has contributed considerably to the natural preservation of its natural region, the Somontano, by maintaining the vegetal mass by means of vineyard plantations which help prevent the environment erosion. In 1985, the Somontano region scarcely had 850 hectares of vineyards. Nowadays, there are more than 4,500 cultivated hectares from which approximately the 25% depends on the activity of Viñas del Vero. In many cases, our vineyards are located in plots of land with slopes greater than 5% which contribute to the soil’s stabilization.
GENETIC EROSION.
Viñas del Vero’s viticulture portfolio is very extensive. It is remarkable that some indigenous varieties such as the Parraleta or Alcañón are widely represented and endemic in Somontano, whereas other indigenous varieties like the Macabeo, Garnacha and Moristel are also grown in other viticultural regions. Thus, we strive to maintain the genetic diversity and prevent indigenous varieties to become extinct.
ECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENT
In the last 25 years, Viñas del Vero’s activity has contributed to:
- The economical appreciation of the cultivated vineyard plots of land
- The preservation and creation of employment in our villages, which otherwise would have been inhabited and therefore its continuance in time is guaranteed.
- The expansion of viticulture activity in the region. Nowadays, there are 32 wineries – which are not regarded as mere competitors, but as contributors to the development of the industry and activities.
- The synergy of tourist activities and the region’s promotional campaigns (Ruta del Vino, adhered hotels) which maintains and expands the local wealth by expanding the tourist offer that Somontano can provide to the tourists who come to visit and enjoy the region.
SOCIAL-CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT
Somontano is a privileged area in the North of Aragón both for its natural riches and also for the beauty of its historical heritage. Unlike other wineries facilities, Viñas del Vero keeps the landscape’s aesthetic contributing to the exaltation of the natural beauty in the surrounding vineyards. Moreover, the vineyards do not damage the soil, but adapts to it. Thus, the visual impact is positive as they are part of the environment.
In terms of the Environment, VIÑAS DEL VERO contributes to the environment preservation and promotes the respect of natural resources as follows:
1. REDUCING THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
- In the winery facilities:During the grapes and musts decanting we make use of the gravity power to avoid mechanical procedures, which allows us to obtain better quality musts and reduce electrical energy consumption. The winery facilities were built inside the rocks, being a perfect isolation to keep the right thermal sensation throughout the year. Moreover, it also reduces the power consumption in the temperature conditioning of the barrel rooms by keeping them at a constant temperature by natural means.
- In the harvest:Harvests are performed during the night or early in the morning in order to reap the grapes at lower temperatures with a double purpose: preserving the quality of the grapes until the beginning of their processing and reducing the power consumption required to cool the harvested grapes.
- In the vineyard:We are constantly investing in agricultural machinery and also scheduling plantations so that treatment work in the vineyards can be optimized. Machines are acquired considering environment factors, such as the selection of low emission motors and machines with a working width that allows a whole plot of land to be covered with as less work as possible.
2. PROMOTING AN ECOLOGICAL PRODUCTION.
For VIÑAS DEL VERO, the ecological viticulture is more than an agricultural method; it is a philosophy. Currently we have 96 cultivated hectares of different varieties in different areas and we are selling their products with the certifications by Comité Aragonés de Agricultura Ecológica. Nowadays, we can claim that the 100% of our grapes from the Parraleta, Garnacha Blanca and Garnacha Tinta varieties are grown under this Ecological Certification. Moreover, most of our plantations of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties are also certified by this commission.
3. REDUCING THE INDISCRIMINATE USE OF CHEMICAL MANURES AND FERTILIZERS AND PHOTOSANITARY PRODUCTS IN THE VINEYARD
VIÑAS DEL VERO fertilizes its vineyards mainly with organic products (compost manures and recycled urban compost) and partially with non-organic nutrients (combined) applied externally to the leaves in very reduced doses. In most of the vineyards, VIÑAS DEL VERO has incorporated a natural vegetal mass between the rows of vines every two years as organic manure for the vineyard. VIÑAS DEL VERO uses phytosanitary products based on low-transformation sulphur and copper in order to exterminate plagues and illnesses.
4. RATIONALLY WATERING.
100% of the irrigations at VIÑAS DEL VERO are carried out by a drop irrigation system with a minimum volume of water flow (between 1,000 and 2,000 m3/ha/harvest). Moreover, in some vineyards we apply hydric stress programs (providing less water than demanded). Watering is performed at night which consumes a surplus power supply and maximizes the efficiency of the watering system by preventing the water evaporation during the day.
5. TREATING WASTES EFFICENTLY AND REUSING THE PURIFIED SEWAGE WATER TO IRRIGATE OUR VINEYARDS.
The sewage water is purified, stored and used for irrigating a reduced part of our vineyards. By doing so, no sewage water is dumped to the public drainage system and phreatic waters are not affected.
6. RECICLYNG THE 100% OF OUR WASTES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD, GLASS AND PLASTIC .USING EASILY RECYCLABLE MATERIALS IN THE PACKAGING AND RECYCLING THE 100% OF OUR WASTES OF PAPER, CARDBOARD, PLASTIC AND GLASS.
- We use corrugated cardboard packages, which are 100% recyclable and are all manufactured with the pulp from recycled papers. We recycle used cardboard, paper and plastic materials.
- the flexible plastic is classified, pressed and then bundled, obtaining packed plastic bales for an easier recycling and transport.
- we use glass bottles which meet the technical quality and aesthetic standards and provide sustainability thanks to the research and development of our suppliers. The glass used is the result of the ECOVA Project which reduces the CO2 emissions by 15% and optimizes transport by 6%. For each recycled tone of glass we avoid the consumption of 136 litres of fuel which are necessary to convert the silica of the sand into glass. VIÑAS DEL VERO is adhered to the glass recovery system, ECOVIDRIO.
7. MANAGING THE OILS GENERATED DURING THE MAINTENANCE OF AGRICULTURE MACHINERY ADEQUATELY.
One litre of oil from mechanical machinery can contaminate 100,000 litres of water.
8. PRIORITIZING THE REUSE, ASSESSMENT, AND MINIMIZATION OF THE GENERATED WASTE.
The organic waste generated by the vineyard throughout the year is incorporated again to the vineyard:
- We reuse the organic waste (stems from the crusher) which is minced with cow manures and applied to the soil as a base-organic manure.
- We reuse the vine shoots of pruning and stocks of the grape by grinding and digging techniques as an organic manure to improve the structure of the vineyard soils.
The empty packages of the products used in the vineyard treatment are handled by an efficient collection, treatment and assessment, program named: SIGFITO.
9. PROMOTING THE TRADING AND CONSUMPTION WINES PRODUCED BY ORGANIC AGRICULTURE.
VIÑAS DEL VERO belongs to the Comité Aragonés de Agricultura Ecológica and promotes the trading of some wines, in different marketplaces, under the guarantee label of this regulatory board.
10. USING NATURAL CORK OF CRIANZA, COLECCIÓN, RESERVA AND SERIES ESPECIALES BOTTLES
The corks can retain 6.4 grams of CO2 belonging to the carbon generated during the photosynthesis process to each cork piece. Cork is a forest non-pollutant product which is extracted without damaging the tree and 100% recyclable with low power consumption. Cork industry promotes and sustains the ecosystem in producing areas on which several animal species depend.
