Terra Vermella de Nin 2017

Parellada is often referred to as the workhorse of the cava varieties. It is far less well known than the Macabeo - also known as Viura - or the Xarel.lo, from which remarkable still wines have been produced for some time. For Cava, however, the Parellada with its high acidity and parallel moderate alcohol content is of great importance. It is hardly known that the Parellada comes in different varieties. But Ester and Carles have become specialists in the little-known Catalan varieties. They have already revived the extremely rare Carignan Blanc. This is the Parellada Montonegra, a pink mutation of the Parellada, which the two discovered on a vineyard 550 metres above sea level on one hectare - where the Selma is also produced, i.e. in the old Penedès in the Pla de Manlleu. The vineyard is now 37 years old and is cultivated by its owner Jaume Nin Llort - Nin ... the family of Ester. The wine is named after the red clay soil. In principle, the wine was vinified in the same way as the other whites: crushing, leaving to stand for 24 hours, then pressing slowly, fermenting spontaneously in 300-litre barrels and then also ageing in them. Despite the quite warm vintage, a wine with just 12 % vol. and 6.5 grams of acidity at 2.8 pH was produced here. And despite the colour mutated grape skin and the standing time, this is a bright wine.

Light to medium straw yellow

Similar to the Selma opens the Terra Vermella with a reductive note of bangers, sulphur woods and petrol, reminiscent of certain wines from Coche-Dury and some Nahe vineyards. However, one would not locate the wine neither at the Nahe nor in Burgundy, it is too independent for that at the same time. At first, the wine needs a lot of air and time in the current stage. But then it opens up at some point and notes of salt lemons and limequats, tahini and lemongrass, petrichor and stone can be found.

On the palate the Terra Vermella more turned towards and a little more fleshy than the nose suggested. Above all the fruit, which continues to move in the light yellow to green range and is underpinned by salty notes, is juicy and fresh. Yet the slightly reductive component remains ever present, always plenty of stone, plus zest and tart herbal notes, white and yellow flowers and pollen. Is wild fennel to be found here? And perhaps also some ginger? In any case, this so rare grape variety presents itself in impressive condition with a lot of fresh acidity and tension as well as pure energy!