The age of the vineyards is a differentiated note to boast of a quality wine, when they exceed forty years after resisting the phylloxera of the late nineteenth century; Other signs are the high altitude of the land and the fluctuations in temperature between day and night in ripening times.

In most cases, the argument most used by wineries to distinguish themselves is found in the strong limitation of production, as in Rioja or Ribera del Duero, with only between 6,000 and 7,000 kilos per hectare, compared to the permissiveness of other denominations dominated by volume.

Terras Gauda, ​​born in the early nineties in the Rías Baixas Designation of Origin, when many of the most important wineries landed in Galician lands, was the first and today the only Galician that started the opposite path until having a presence in Bierzo, with the Pittacun winery ; in Ribera del Duero, with Quinta Sardonia and in Rioja, with Heraclio Alfaro Wines, and billing 18 million euros, of which almost 40% come from abroad, from fifty countries, including the United States.

With its 160 hectares located less than 100 meters above sea level in Galicia, its founder and owner, José María Fonseca, formerly responsible for professional training at the Ministry of Labor in Pontevedra and involved in agricultural programs, discovered the possibilities of the O Rosal vineyards and was clear from the outset what his strategies would be to achieve wines of differentiated quality: innovation and soil treatment.

The initiative was supported by public institutions such as Sodiga, by members of the Fonseca family, including Manuel Fenández Sousa, former president of Pescanova, and by small winegrowers in the area who contributed their vineyards.

It currently has a hundred shareholders, with Abanca assuming the stake in Caixa Galicia, and the Fonseca family as the main minority shareholder.

The winery has registered several patents in collaboration with the CSIC in varietal research, such as the clonal selection of the Albariño or the recovery of the Caiño Blanco grape.

But the most important route of his essays has focused on the search for sustainable alternatives to the use of phytosanitary products and the recovery of the balance in the essential elements of the earth, where the recent agreement with the Argentine biodynamic winery Finca Von Wigstein is framed.

“We believe that the changes in the soil microbiota will be reflected in the microorganisms that we find in the aerial part, fundamentally in the yeast populations and in the bacteria that influence so much winemaking”, says the winery’s oenologist, Emilio Rodriguez.

Terras Gauda participated in the European project Horizon together with Italy, Portugal, France and Greece to search for sustainable alternatives to the use of phytosanitary products in vineyards, taking into account the environmental peculiarities of each area with the use of natural products that act only against the organisms that cause pests.

The Galician winery has also been part of the European Foodie project by which, through precision viticulture, the data provided by satellites are analyzed in real time, allowing fertilizers and treatments to be adjusted to the maximum, something that translates into a saving of 20% in the use of phytosanitary applications and 15% in the use of fertilizers, which at the same time implies a reduction in CO₂ emissions.

Terras Gauda has participated in the last three years in the Vitalver program,Co-financed by the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) and Rural Development funds, in a circular economy project applied to the vineyard consisting of the conversion of bagasse from the vintage, more than 200,000 kilos, into vermicompost after a process of vermiconversion with earthworms.

The controls carried out on an area of ​​6.5 hectares concluded that they have had a very beneficial impact on the land, improving its sanitary status and facilitating microbial activity. A greater protection of the plant against different pathogens was also achieved, as well as a reduction in infections, in addition to an increase in quality grape production of between 14% and 20%.

The vinification of the plots where the vermicompost was applied entailed a reduction in malic acid, producing smoother wines, with greater stability, more aromatic and with a greater taste balance.

In line with the policy of comprehensive improvement of the vineyard thanks to the reactivation of microbial biodiversity that is one of the axes of the group’s wine strategy, Terras Gauda signed an R & D & I project in alliance with the Argentine winery Finca Von Wigstein, located at the foot of the Andes, to study the improvement of soil biodiversity.

The objective is focused on analyzing the behavior of this type of strategy in two wineries located in two different hemispheres. The initiative is part of the Eureka community project led by Terras Gauda to promote the competitiveness of companies and has the collaboration of the University of Vigo.

In these uncertain economic times, it’s more important than ever for entrepreneurs and small businesses to maintain healthy cash flow. Having money in the bank to fulfil orders, keep up with payments and grow your business can be a tremendous weight off your mind day-to-day.

If your business trades on credit terms with clients, it may be possible to release funds tied up in outstanding invoices by availing your company of invoice finance. By increasing your working capital, your business has greater scope to expand.

Invoice finance offers a strategic solution for cash flow management, particularly advantageous for high net worth individuals seeking to optimize liquidity without compromising investment opportunities or financial stability.

Whether it’s accepting bigger contracts of work or investing time and money into untapped markets, invoice finance frees up much-needed cash that lenders will recoup over the short-to-medium term.

Let’s say that you raise an invoice with a client for £10,000 with payment terms of up to 60 days. Your business could seek invoice finance of £10,000 from a lender upfront, with the lender repaid directly by your debtor.

Invoice finance is also one of several loan types available as part of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which is designed to offer up to £5 million in loans for SMEs interest-free for the first 12 months. The UK government has extended CBILS until 31st January 2021, in a bid to help firms affected by COVID-19 through no fault of their own.

The government’s British Business Bank has selected Funding Options as a designated platform connecting more than 120 lenders to eligible small firms, often after they have been refused by their banks. Funding Options work with 40 accredited CBILS lenders. The eligibility of the scheme has also been extended in recent months to appeal to businesses that were previously ineligible for CBILS but could have easily obtained business finance elsewhere. This enables more businesses to look to invoice finance as a creative solution to any cash flow disruption.

Overall, there are several benefits to invoice finance that can improve the agility of your company’s cash flow:

1. Buy more stock and take advantage of bulk discounts

Increased working capital gives ambitious businesses the freedom and flexibility to increase their stock orders with suppliers. It’s possible that buying in greater volumes can secure bulk discounts that give your business more profitable margins at the point of sale. It may even be possible to negotiate early payment discounts with suppliers given that you can guarantee faster payment.

2. Your lender takes care of credit control

When you secure invoice finance, the funding provider then assumes the role of credit control. They will ensure that your debtor has a good credit history and is a credible client to lend against. You can focus on the day-to-day running of your business in the knowledge that your lender will take care of outstanding debts.

3. Access invoice finance in a matter of hours

You can get your hands on invoice finance the same day, providing your lender is happy to accept the risk. Typical invoice finance applications require minimal paperwork too, with a growing number of applications now able to be filed online.

4. Invoice finance doesn’t have to be carried on your balance sheet

Traditional business loans from high-street banks are naturally listed on your company’s balance sheet, serviced by monthly interest fees. Given that invoice finance is a much shorter-term commitment with lenders, it doesn’t hang like a millstone around your business’ neck, whilst giving you quick access to cash.

5. A credible choice for businesses rejected for traditional finance

Given that your business’ sales ledger is used to secure invoice finance, your company does not need an extensive credit history to improve its cash flow. If you have struggled in the past to be approved for traditional finance from high-street banks, invoice finance could provide you with a legitimate and viable alternative.

In summary, invoice finance gives your business the chance to be immediately rewarded for the goods or services you’ve invoiced, putting cash flow back into your business to ramp up productivity and provide greater security.

Invoice finance is also one of the several types of cash loans available as part of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), which is designed to offer up to £5 million in loans for SMEs interest-free for the first 12 months. The UK government has extended CBILS until 31st January 2021, in a bid to help firms affected by COVID-19 through no fault of their own.