 Costers
del Segre is a fragmented area that covers the main wine-making areas in Lleida,
above and beyond what can strictly be considered the banks of the Segre river
implied in the name. This area used to be almost synonymous with Raimat, the
large but quality-conscious producer owned by Codorníu. In recent years,
other cellars have begun to emerge. Castell del Remei in particular reinvented
themselves from the 1997 vintage onwards with a classy range of wines, and they
have a new subsidiary making excellent wines at the Pobla de Cervoles, where
the Conca de Barbara, Costers del Segre and Priorat meet.
| Vineyard area: |
4.000 Hectares |
| Authorised Production: |
10.000kg per hectare for white varieties
8.000kg per hectare for red varieties |
| Soil types: |
Mostly limestone with low organic content. |
| Authorised varieties: |
Whites: Garnatxa blanca, Macabeu, Parellada, Chardonnay,
Xarel·lo.
Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Trepat, Ull de Llebre, Merlot, Monastrell,
Pinot Noir |
| Annual sunshine: |
2800 hours |
| Annual rainfall: |
385mm in Raimat
450mm in the rest of the area |
| Average temperature: |
15 ºC in Raimat, 14°C in the rest of the area |
| Wine types: |
Apart from Raimat, much of the production is destined for
Cava. |
| Notes: |
The D.O. actually covers three separate regions, the largest
borders on the Conca de Barberà, with a small sub-zone further north around
Artesa, and of course, Raimat to the west of Lleida. The climate is less
influenced by the Mediterranean (being further inland), and in general has
cooler winters, with frequent frosts. In Lleida, maximum summer temperatures
can be over 35°C. |
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