Korlat

Work on the Korlat vineyard began in March 2004, and due to the difficulty of the terrain, preparation lasted until the spring of 2005. In the same year, the first 73 hectares of vine cuttings were planted, followed by the remaining 30 hectares the following year. In total, 550,000 vine cuttings were planted. The Korlat vineyard was planted with planting material from France, and the varietal selection includes Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Mourvèdre. This undertaking by Badel 1862—planting a vineyard on rocky terrain over such a large area—can be considered pioneering even by global standards. The vineyard was created under extreme conditions, with its highest point at around 300 meters above sea level, and it is entirely oriented toward the sea. On land that, besides stone, was covered with Mediterranean scrub, heavy machinery such as excavators and bulldozers first arrived to break up the soil. Using so-called rippers, the soil was loosened in a checkerboard pattern to a depth of 70 centimeters to 1 meter, which resulted in the breaking up of stone slabs within the soil itself. This created a soil structure suitable for planting vines, allowing their roots to later establish properly and find their way between the rocks. A significant challenge were the large rocks, which had to be crushed even before the soil was loosened. Additionally, since oak trees had once grown in some areas, considerable effort was required to remove the roots, which also had to be pulled from the ground using large cultivators. The first quantities of grapes harvested at Korlat in 2007 were sufficient to produce 9,000 liters of premium red wine, or 12,000 bottles, which as the first commercial vintage were released onto the market at the end of 2010. The total production potential, once the vineyard reaches full bearing over the next two to three years, will amount to approximately 300,000 to 350,000 liters of premium red wines.