Nestled at the foot of the Spanish Pyrenees in the province of Huesca, the Somontano region of Spain was granted Denominación de Origen status in 1984 and now boasts over 11,500 acres of vineyards. Somontano means “under the mountain” and like Italy’s Piedmont District, it combines a continental climate with high-lying vineyard sites and a wide variety of subsoils for a unique terroir. While lesser known than the regions of Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Somontano is quickly becoming a vital center of the Spanish wine industry. Renowned for its modern approach to wine production and for elegant wines that are characterized by refined tannins, fresh acidity and ripe fruit flavors, the region beautifully blends the traditions of the past with the sophistication of the future.

The Somontano Terroir

• altitude: Bodegas Olvena’s mountainside vineyards lie between 300 and 700 meters a.s.l., thus allowing it to grow different grape varieties at varying altitudes
   
• subsoil variation: there are nearly 20 types of subsoil in Somontano, ranging from clay to sandy, thus offering good drainage, which helps to stress the vines and causes them to produce richer fruit
   
• ventilation: the Pyrenees mountains reach altitudes of up-to 3,000 meters a.s.l.; the mountain breezes provide excellent ventilation of growing sites, thus preventing mildew and rot during the growing cycle
   
• temperature variation: the warm days/cool evenings “temperature variation” provided by higher altitudes combined with good ventilation is perhaps the most important element in retaining the freshness of Bodegas Olvena’s wines; during summer months, the fruit is cooled by evening drops in temperature, thus eliminating over-ripening