Miranius 2021

Wine description for Miranius 2021 by Celler Credo

Colour & appearance

Platinum yellow with faint coppery reflections – a hint of skin contact shimmers through.

Nose

A basket brimming with mirabelles, apples and quinces, alongside grapefruit, hop shoots and a sliver of honeydew melon. Beneath: dried hay, savoury herbs, cool stone and a sweetish yeast note that lends the wine depth.

Palate

Initially delicate, almost shy, with a silky attack. Then the wine tightens its grip: juicy, with agile, tactile acidity, fine tannins, plenty of salt and substance. With air it becomes more serious, more radiant, more expressive – a Xarel·lo that takes its time and rewards patience.

Finish

Long, saline and precise, with a spicy, slightly bitter note reminiscent of the maceration period.

Terroir & origin

The grapes come from Alt Penedès, Catalonia’s highest sub-zone: Plana del Penedès, Muntanyes de l’Ordal (up to 400 metres) and the terraced river valley of Vall de Bitlles. The cool nights at altitude bring freshness and tension to the wine. Wild fennel and daisies grow among the vines – Ton Mata, third generation of the Recaredo family, regards the vineyard as an ecosystem.

Grape variety & vinification

Pure Xarel·lo – the variety that usually disappears anonymously into Cava blends here takes centre stage. Spontaneously fermented after extended skin contact, fermented to below one gram of residual sugar. Unfined, unfiltered, without added sulphur. Only 11% alcohol.

Food pairings

Anchovies with lemon, pickled green chillies and grilled bread – the wine’s salinity finds its perfect match here. Also excellent: tuna crudo with broad beans, Kalamata olives and lemon or avocado and poached egg with ricotta on sourdough bread.

Special features

The name says it all: Miranius – where foxes live. Celler Credo, the still-wine project of the Recaredo family, has been certified biodynamic since 2010, making it the first estate in Penedès to achieve this status; horses plough the land, sheep graze in winter. An unsulphured, unfiltered natural wine with genuine tension and precision – outstanding at this price point.