Appellation: None.
Cuvée: De Socarrel.
Colour: Red.
Grapes: Merlot.
About: named after the way in which Aitor sees the Merlot grow its branches from the foot of the vine. This is a full-bodied, robust, rich Merlot.
Vines
Location: a couple of kilometres north west of the village of Barberà de la Conca, near Pira.
Size (ha): 2.21.
Age / year vines planted: 1997-1998.
Soils: limestone and gravel.
Exposition: flat.
Altitude (m): 410.
Training: double cordon de royat.
Farming: organic, not certified.
Average yield hl/ha: 29.
Climate: Mediterranean, dry, average annual rainfall 500mm.
Winemaking
Hand harvested into 20kg boxes and sorted in the field. Pre-ferment maceration, then fermented in one 200L plastic tank and one 300L old French oak barrel, using wild yeasts and whole bunch, on skins for 27 and 34 days respectively at temperatures naturally occurring between 19 and 26ºC. No sulfites added. Pressed in a tiny old vertical press, blended and put back into barrel to age for three months. Bottled without filtration.
Vintage notes 2018
After a dry winter, 2018 was particularly wet, in spring and summer, causing issues with mildew and oidium, requiring extra treatments by copper and sulfur. Total rainfall 800mm. The wine style is accordingly lighter, fresher.
Yield hl/ha: 30.
Date harvested: on 5 days between 19 september and 16 october.
Bottles produced: 275.
Date bottled: 2019-05-23.
Alcohol: 15.9%.
SO2 Total: <10.
Tasting: you’ll have your own experience with this ever changing wine, at the time of tasting in summer 2019, we found a big nose of over-ripe plum, kirsch, black pepper, grilled meats, sweet spice, palate upfront sweetness, rich, full bodied, yet energetic and lively, wears alcohol lightly, fresh, sappy and dry, with the sweetness and long. Very, very good. Fun.