Bodegas Osca

APPEARANCE...

The yellows and greens of early summer, the red skies of an autumn sunset and the distant blue hues of the Pyrenean peaks that protect the tranquility of the Somontano region. Somontano lies at the foothills of the Pyrenees and boasts rich landscapes and a unique climate, Mediterranean in character, with temperatures ranging between 3ºC in January and 22ºC in August. The result is a perfect environment for vines to thrive, thrusting skywards to reward us with sweet fruit, which is duly transformed into much revered wine...

From the ochre soils, green leaves and golden and indigo grapes of these pre-Pyrenean plains rises the Somontano Designation of Origin, to which Bodegas Osca is proud to belong. We have the added honour of producing the first ever Somontano wine back in 1985…

The small village of Ponzano marks the entrance to this magnificent wine region. At a distance of 20km from the capital of Somontano, Barbastro, it belongs to the province of Huesca in Aragon, northern Spain. From the slopes that surround Ponzano, or from the nearby renovated chapel of San Roman, vineyards and olive groves stretch as far as the eye can see; views brimming with nuances that afford peace and tranquility and encourage further contemplation…

Our unirrigated vineyards cover an area of 30 hectares of calcareous-clay soil and share the landscape with indigenous hermes oaks, olive trees and cereals. They sit at a height of 530 metres above sea level; the highest area of Somontano. The annual rainfall of around 500 to 600 mm provides just the right amount of water and grey skies alternate with abundant golden light, which nurtures and warms the vines. Our red varieties are those of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Moristel, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and the whites include Chardonnay, Macabeo, Gewurztraminer and Garnacha Blanca. The wineries annual production reaches 200,000kg of grapes.

In short, the palate of colours is varied and evocative; from the intense yellow of the sunlight to the subtle blue of the mountains; from the vivid green of the vine leaves to the solid brown of the soil; and from the deep red of Garnacha to the pale gold of Macabeo. Bathe these colours in sunset tones of orange, violet and crimson and the gift is an exceptional land open to discovery and begging to be enjoyed to the full.

NOSE...

Our cellars suggest tradition and history that is alive. The Borruel family is part of this history and includes Gregorio as oenologist, Félix the viticulturist and Ángel as GM and sales director. Our aim is to respect a long history of wine production that is captured in the distinctive aroma of the winery. With foundations of our cherished underground cellars that date as far back as 1480 and other remains from the 14th century, the smells and aromas evoke memories of gallant knights and feudal lords from times gone by. With the weight of this rich history on our shoulders, our goal is to combine the noble aromas of barrel ageing with those of fresh fruit and sultry spices. This results in a carefully thought out match between tradition and modernity, and between terroir and avant-garde production. Our dedication to this modus operandi transforms into a deep desire to produce modern wines from indigenous varieties such as Macabeo, Moristel and Parraleta.

Bodegas Osca - the oldest winery in Somontano – is open to anyone who wishes to breathe in the heady fusion of aromas from barrels, leather, grape skins and stone from the cellar floor. As a family winery with a small production, those that visit are always welcome to watch us work as we maintain this small piece of history. For us it is a true and much-loved empire.

The modest production in the vineyard converts into 1,500 hectolitres per year, meticulously hand-crafted wine that is produced in small stainless steel tanks with just 10,000 litre capacity and lovingly aged, with optimum care and the best of our knowledge, in French and American oak barrels (60%/40%.) Centuries of history infuse the barrels with a medieval essence as they rest. They bear the responsibility of many years of the family’s culture, learning and passion for wine.

However, the wine making process begins long before in the vineyard. Subtle hints of broom and low-mountain shrub are caressed by gentle breezes that steep the air with aromas of vegetable gardens, wild fruit and rosemary. This is where it begins, with a manual harvest that allows the careful selection of bunches from each vine to be transported directly to the winery in small 30kg boxes, so that the grapes arrive at our door whole, fresh and ready to give up their essence…

Young reds, rosés and whites live alongside oak-aged crianzas and reservas and Somontano’s only Gran Reserva, the result of a meticulous coupage, as well as the monovarietals of Moristel, Merlot, Syrah, Gewurztraminer and red and white Garnacha.

Just imagine, if you can, the multitude of aromas encompassed in every bottle…

As for the future of our wines, it comes with a complex bouquet which reveals notes of eucalyptus and highlights luscious red fruit characteristics afforded by the Garnacha. We put a lot of effort and research into the winery’s flagship variety and our carefully thought out experimentations will bear fruit – literally – in coming vintages.

PALATE...

Balance between our cultural heritage and cutting-edge innovation, between artisan work and aseptic technology. This philosophy is as powerful as our aspirations. We live in a complicated but passionate land where the result of the wine speaks for itself. Step by step, we aim to deliver the know-how of our time without losing important family values or the knowledge and wisdom passed down from generation to generation.

Our wines are well-rounded, like our image, and from humble beginnings they aim for the perfection of a circle, the softness of shapes and affability in the treatment of our prime material. The “O” in Osca identifies us, a name that has its origins in a deep love and respect for our land. We have a universal calling to share this passion and as a result 20% of our wines are exported. It gives us great pride to bring pleasure to Swiss, American, German and Chinese wine lovers, among others, and we believe that work well done has no boundaries.

In this way, the “O” - the most identifiable part of our corporate image - combines a photograph and a different graphic image for each type of wine, transmitting tradition, wine-making and terroir on one side, and avant-garde methods on the other. We aim to use every last method to globally enhance our brand and afford maximum personality to our wines.