MANDA HUEVOS OLD VINE MACABEO, PACELA CARRAMAINAS 2020

Harvest of the Carramainas vineyard took place on the 13th of September 2020, 7-10 days earlier than usual. The old vines lend a natural concentration but with extremely fresh acidity and mouthfilling fruit with notes of pineapple, honey and chamomile. The oak is perfectly integrated with a long sumptuous toasty finish. This wine should age with some style. The Carramainas parcel is an unusual mix of decomposed red sand - which gives a loamy/sandy texture- with gravel and pudding stones interspersed, 850 m above sea level.

The Carramainas parcel is an unusual mix of decomposed red sand - which gives a loamy/sandy texture- with gravel and pudding stones interspersed, 850 m above sea level, south west facing directly below the Pingorote de la Zorra, a well known peak outside Villarroya de la Sierra in the Sistema Ibérico.

Glacis - decomposed red clay, gravels and pudding stones.

2020 was a precocious vintage in terms of the growing cycle and phenology: early bud burst, early flowering, early fruit set and veraison. Spring was accompanied by twice the average rainfall. The beautiful side of 2020 was our total confinement to the vineyards where we got to know our parcels more intimately.

Grapes were hand picked in 20kg cases, then stored overnight in a cool room before processing. We follow Burgundian methods in the cellar. Grapes are loaded whole bunch to the press, then we use a long slow press cycle with no sulphur or enzymes. Must is cold settled overnight then racked to 500 ltr Francois Frère barrels with a very long, low toast. Spontaneous fermentation proceeds at ambient cellar temperature (18 to 20 degrees Celsius) for around 2 weeks until dry. The wine was then kept on full fermentation lees for 3 months before racking to finish ageing on fine lees for a further 12 months. No cold stabilisation or fining.

15 months in second use 500 litre French oak barrels.