Parra Jiménez

Parra Jiménez - Organic wine in La Mancha

Parra Jiménez is a brand of the winery Parra Family Organic. The winery was founded in 1993 by the brothers Francisco, Javier and Luis Parra. The three had already gained experience with sustainable agriculture and set themselves the goal of producing wine according to these principles, at a time when this method of cultivation was far from standard. Francisco Parra says:

"When we started, organic certification was still dismissed as eccentric. When we told the local people here what we were planning, we met with incomprehension. For us, however, it just made sense. Our family has always farmed in La Mancha. Some kept sheep. An uncle even had a winery. And we always cultivated the land in the traditional way, without pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers."

Today, Parra Family Organic is one of the largest producers of organically grown wine. The estate produces 6 million bottles annually, including the Parra Jiménez wines.

Viticulture at Parra Jiménez

The vineyards of Parra Jiménez are located on the Meseta plateau in central Spain at an altitude of 600–1000 m above sea level. The Spanish capital Madrid also lies in the center of this plateau. In the southern part of the plateau is Castilla-La Mancha, which many will probably know from the character Don Quixote. Near the town of Las Mesas you can find the Parra family vineyards:

• Entresendas – located in an old riverbed, the vines benefit from the ancient alluvial soils
• Olla del Monte – colloquially also called Cuesta Colorá (red slope), the soils here consist of limestone and clay with a layer of pebbles that thermoregulates the soils

Both vineyards cover a total area of around 180 hectares.

La Mancha is particularly well suited to organic winegrowing, as the dry and windy climate effectively reduces pest infestation. A large part of the work in the Parra family vineyards is carried out by hand by a small team.

Parra Jiménez and biodynamics

Viticulture at Parra Jiménez is based on biodynamic principles established by the anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner. The soil is regarded as an organism in its own right, certain calendar events must be observed and the soil is treated with special biodynamic preparations. In addition, of course, the same principles apply as in “simple” organic farming. Chemical crop protection agents are avoided, crop rotation is practiced and the vineyards are not stripped bare in order to allow the natural flora and fauna to thrive.

The Parra family also forgoes the addition of sulfites in some wines, which is usually done to prevent the wines from aging too quickly. The Parras use a special process in which the grapes are treated in an oxygen-free atmosphere. This process, in combination with high-quality harvested grapes, ensures that no sulfites need to be added to the respective wines from Parra Jiménez.