Cayetana

White grape variety

Origin

Cayetana is an indigenous white grape variety from Extremadura, highly concentrated in the province of Badajoz and especially in Tierra de Barros and Ribera del Guadiana. It is one of the most representative traditional varieties of Extremaduran white wine.

Synonyms

The most common synonyms are Cayetana Blanca, Jaén Blanco, and Jaén.

Phenology

Cayetana shows medium budbreak and medium-late or late ripening, depending on the growing region. The cycle is long, and harvest usually begins from the first or second half of September in many growing regions.

Technological potential

It produces pale yellow white wines with greenish reflections, often fresh, fruity, and with good aromatic intensity when harvested at the optimal moment.
The most frequently cited notes are white fruit, banana, apple, citrus, and vegetal or floral touches.
Traditionally, it has been used for distillation and for obtaining alcohols or for brandies and fortified wines, thanks to its productive potential.
It can also yield decent young wines and, with good winemaking, more expressive and complex whites.

Agronomic characteristics

It is a medium-high vigor variety, with a semi-erect growth habit, medium or medium-large, fairly compact bunches, and medium or large berries, with a rather spherical shape. It has high productivity and is a fairly fertile variety. It adapts well to warm climates and shows high drought resistance, but can be susceptible to powdery mildew, botrytis, and other phytosanitary problems if ventilation is poor.