Aucala White D.O. Terra Alta 2022

GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Grenache White.

VINTAGE: 2020

HARVEST: From 6th to 15th September.

ESTATE: Selection of plots planted with over 50-year-old vines with different row orientations in the locale of Aucalá between the vine-growing villages of Gandesa and Bot.

ORIENTATION:  South and South-East facing.

SOIL: Chalk-based and clay-lime soils.

VINE TRAINING: Goblet shaped.

PLANTING DENSITY: 2,500 to 3,000 vines per hectare depending on plots and orography.

ALTITUDE ABOVE SEA LEVEL: Between 350-500 metres

PRUNING TECHNIQUE: 2 buds on each cane / 3-4 canes per vine.

CLIMATE: Microclimate influenced by Mediterranean and continental climate.

RAINFALL: Between 350-450 mm.

OROGRAPHY: Gentle slope patches and hillsides.

VINTAGE: The 2019 vintage will be remembered for the grape’s early ripening and an important drop in average quantity, but great quality wine produced. The weather at the end of the winter was very rainy and the beginning of the vegetative cycle benefited from high rainfall, which far exceeded the average annual rainfall of previous years. The spring and the beginning of the summer were extremely hot and dry with scarce rainfall advancing vine development rapidly in the last stages of the growing cycle. The vegetative period ended almost a week earlier than usual. This pattern continued during the ripening period which started really quickly afterwards. Temperatures was very high in July and August and the lack of rain during these months favoured early ripening. Amongst the peculiarities of the vintage, we might note that the lower productivity of the vines and the great weather conditions led to perfect and outstanding sanity of the grapes. Some isolated rainstorms finally came in the first days of September followed by dry winds from the North and significant drop of temperatures allowing the ripening process to slow down. Harvest began 10-12 days earlier than the average over the last ten years. The fruit quality can be described as unbeatable with virtually no disease thanks to a dry and windy September. The 2017 vintage has definitely been a very good one and with a very high level of quality as a result of very good climatic circumstances through the year. The resulting wines are of a high standard showing complex aromatic intensity on the nose with well-balanced tannins. The reduction of fruit on the vines has led to great concentration of gentle polyphenols in the musts so resulting wines are rich and full of clean flavour.

WINEMAKING: Strict and meticulous selection of grapes in the vineyard. Fully manual harvest, the grapes are collected in small 15kg boxes. De-stemming and gentle pressing operated in oxygen-less conditions. Static settling of the must for 24 hours prior to fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 16o C.

AGING: Matured for 6 months in stainless steel tanks on its fine lees and fine lees from previous vintages.

BOTTLING: Is in glass and bentonite fining. Light filtration to make the wine star bright. Bottling date: From 02th to 04 th of July 2018, depending on the moon state.

WINE PROFILE:100% local grape variety with a strong personality. The vinification process is adapted to reach Grenache White best expression.

QUANTITY OF BOTTLES: 23.780 bottles of 750 ml and 1.895 Magnums.

TASTING NOTES: The vintage is characterized by its intensity and its aromatic complexity. This wine delivers delicate and elegant floral aromas such as almond blossom flavours and white peach characters with subtle mineral notes. It is soft and velvety on the palate with a graceful length and a fine balanced passage. Harmony of this wine is stressed by a smooth and persistent finish that features good minerality and the salinity of the terroir. Its very good acidity keeps it fresh and long lasting on the palate.

TIPS: It will continue to develop and offer the most pleasure over the next 8 years