February Wine Club 2023
Cavas Bolet, Cantarelus Ull de Llebre Ecològic (2019) Penedes, Catalonia, Spain
About the Region: Penedès is a wine growing sub-region located in the semi autonomous region of Catalonia, in NE Spain. It is a Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) for wines from that region. The area is framed by the coastal hills of the Garraf Massif and the higher inland mountains which skirt the Central Depression. Long considered one of the country's best wine-producing regions after the Rioja, it is also one of the most ancient viticultural areas in Europe. Perhaps best-known for its Cava production (a sparkling wine which has had its own Denominación de Origen [or DO] since 1986) white grape varieties predominate, although the region also produces some highly regarded, oak-aged reds. According to archaeological evidence, wine production in the Penedès has ancient origins, certainly dating back to the Phoenician introduction of Chardonnay vines during the 6th century BC. A large export market is known to have existed even through Moorish occupation in the Middle Ages. Eighteenth century Spanish expansion into South America generated an unprecedented demand for Penedès wines which has barely abated since. The region did not escape the pan-European devastation of the phylloxera plague in the mid nineteenth century, one effect of which was a large-scale change in the predominant grape types from red to almost exclusively white, which in turn led to the first Cava production in the 1870s. Since then, red varietals have regained some ground but remain a relatively minor part of regional production.
The Bolet winery, and surrounding vineyards, from the air
About the Winery: The Bolet family has cultivated vineyards and elaborated wine for over seven generations. In 1890 Josep Bolet Martí faced the phylloxera plague by replanting all of the vines on his property with American rootstock and grafted them with white and red varieties typical of the region. Over the years, together with his son de él Jaume Bolet Galofré, he planted new vines and today the family works 28 Hectare (about 70 acres). The estates they own and work are Can Planes d'en Perull, Les Conilleres and Mas Lluet, each in different areas and at different altitudes, all are located in Castellví de la Marca (Penedès, Barcelona). In the 1970s, Antoni Bolet Pascual began to modernize the winery by installing machinery and stainless steel tanks. In 1982, Josep Anton Bolet Bolet and Maria Tetas Cuscó began bottling homegrown wines and cavas under the bolet brand. a tribute to the family surname, from both branches "Mas Lluet" and “Can Planes”. In 2000 they started to convert their vineyards to organic viticulture and in 2004 they released their first certified organic wine. In 2015 they released their first 100% natural wine for sale.
Three Generations of the Bolet Family
About the Wine: 100% Ull de Llebre (a Northern Spanish name for Tempranillo). Organic and hand harvested. This wine is from grapes grown at the highest point of the Bolet family's holdings at around three-hundred-and-fifty meters. These vineyards are located on the Mas Lluet, Can Planes d’En Perull and Les Cunilleres estates, all in Castellví de la Marca and at different altitudes in different areas of the municipality. Grown on dry, gravel-rich soils, the grapes are tended organically, hand-harvested and fermented in stainless steel. The wine is then aged in old oak barrels for three months. Color : Bright and intense garnet color with some purple glints. Nose: High aromatic intensity, which reminds us of red berry and stone fruits like blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and cherry. Palate: The elegant palate is smooth and round with silky tannins and notes of berries like blueberry, blackberry and raspberry. shows lovely smoky bright red notes on a medium-bodied frame ending in a long finish. Pairing: Stir-fried rice meals, pasta, pizza and red meats.
Ailalá, Tinto (2018) Ribeiro, Galicia, Spain
About the Region: The world has accepted the French word “terroir” as the determining factor when it comes to creating the added value of a wine, and of a wine producing region. That being said, terroir is defined by 4 characteristics: climate, soils, grapes and the influence of man.
The Climate: The climate and soils of Ribeiro have given styles of wine that are unique with an array of varieties that support the idea of a vinicultural land full of tradition and ancestral qualities. The vineyards where the grapes are grown to produce Ailalá are located in the Valley of the River Avia, in plots from San Cristóbal, near Ribadavia, to upriver until Gomariz. The Ribeiro is located in a transitory zone of Galicia where the Mediterranean characteristics are softened by the influence of the Atlantic ocean. The distance in a straight line to the ocean is seemingly very close at approximately 60km. This distance should create more of an Atlantic environment, but the orography of mountain ranges that delimits to the west and to the north, generate a protection barrier, creating vineyard management where alcoholic maturation is developed alongside phenolic maturation, maintaining balanced freshness given by the natural acidity and where tartaric acid dominates over malic acid. With an average of 1950 hours of sunlight per year, 40% of which come in July/August – during the time of ripening in the vineyard, makes this part of Spain a prime area for viticulture. The slightly continental climate, in conjunction with the dominant currents of air, make the difference in temperature between day and night very important. This concept favors a slow ripening process respecting the aromatic component and the natural freshness.
Map of the Ribeiro DO, Galicia, Spain
The Soils: The Ribeiro region of Spain has been a zone of intense vine growing for a long time. From the recuperation of agriculture by the Benedictine Monks towards the end of the first Millennium until today, the characteristics of the soils used for growing grapes differ quite a lot from natural soils, mainly because man has been cultivating them for many generations. The soils of Ribeiro can be categorized into 3 large groups. The majority are developed on granitic materials, with loamy-sandy textures and in a lesser extent, sandy-loam. You can also find soils of metamorphic schist materials, and those developed from sedimentary materials with more loamy textures. Most of the cultivation of soils are on terraces to lower the steepness and to facilitate manual labor, making the most of the slopes and the sunlight. Some of the main characteristics that mark the territory of the Ribeiro is the smallholding, the complex orography of the region, the river valleys, and the use of traditional techniques in the vineyard. In Ribeiro there are 3 valleys created by the 3 main rivers: the Miño, Avia and Arnoia. A natural environment made up of slopes, banks and terraces, excellent for the production of quality wines based on viticulture. All of this, favored by a very peculiar microclimate, ventilated and with good sun exposure for correct ripeness of the autochthonous varieties. The maritime influence that comes in up through the bowl of the River Miño, creates bands of climatic transition on the slopes generating a more Atlantic character as it gains altitude, something that limits the vines to approximately 450m above sea level for the varieties grown in the region.
The Grapes: All viticultural regions have specific climates and soils, but not all have the privilege of having its own adapted variety to these after hundreds or thousands of years of co-existing and even less have more than 50, like in the case of Galicia. See below in the "About the wine" section for more info about the grapes in this wine.
Inma Pazos and Miguel Montoto, creaters of the Ailalá wines, being silly in the vineyard
About the Wine makers, AKA The People: Ailalá-Ailalelo is a young and fresh concept winery located in the highly regarded Avia Valley of Galicia's Ribeiro DO; bringing fun and exciting indigenous varietal wines to the market, as the name is one that refers to joyful partying (the local dialect for 'Olé'). The collaboration is between winemaker Inma Pazos, sommelier Miguel Montoto, and the famous Coto de Gomariz vineyards. In two wines, they express the incredible terroir of the region (the soils here are called 'Sábrego' - a granitic base with a mixture of sand and clay), as well as a fresh and approachable profile that comes from only biodynamically farmed vineyards. Amazing quality with a minimal hand in winemaking, the value from this group is second to none in the region.
Part of the Coto de Gomariz vineyard. Note the terraced vines in the background.
About the Wine: The grapes for the Ailalá Tinto are handpicked early in the morning to be brought immediately to the cellar for their future delicate treatment. The Tinto is primarily all Sousón, although the field does include small amounts of Brancellao, Ferrol, and Caiño Longo that are involved in the field blend. Natural fermentation takes place in stainless steel, and then a short (4 months) time is devoted to French barrels to round out this beautiful red. The result is fresh, lively and complex wine with a spicy character, balanced acidity, and soft tannins. A wine to grace most every dinner table, the Tinto is perfect for enjoying in any setting, never to forget its fun and lively concept that makes this wine so delicious. Tasting notes: on the nose this wine has aromas of cinnamon, cherry, lilac, chalk, pen spoils, blonde tobacco, violets, and wild berry yogurt. On the palate it is rich with a complex fruit profile and a savory touch. The tannins are round and sweet. It has a long finish with hints of fresh red fruits. Pair this wine with Iberian Pork, including Iberian ham, barbecues, roasted octopus (Pulpo a la Gallega) and other savory fare.