Alemany i Corrió, Pas Curtei, DO Penedès, Spain, 2019

Producer Profile

In the little town of Vilafranca del Penedes in Cataluña, Irene and Laurent are challenging the traditional perception of DO Penedes wine.

Converting their vineyards from the typical Penedes high yields and abandoning all forms of chemical treatment and fertilisers, they follow basic organic practices. Much of the construction and equipping of their cellar was modest and homemade, including building their own tanks. Production remains small, yet as they identify further small vineyard sites their range has extended to include distinctive wines from the indigenous varietal Xarel-lo, which they choose to do extended fermentation with, using indigenous yeast and it is then left on its lees to increase the richness and compexity.

Viticulture

The vines are trained gobelet and on wires, with vineyards between 15 and 70 years old on clay and limestone soils. Yields are around 4500 kg / Ha. All work is carried out lutte raisonnée.

Winemaking

Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks with a small sulphitic pre-fermentative maceration with wild yeast. Malolactic fermentation with wild bacterias in 228 l French oak barrels.

Oak Ageing

Time: 14 Months
Type: French Oak 228l
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 25

Tasting Note

This Bordeaux-esque wine jam packed full of mouthwatering black fruits with beautiful soft tannins. Intense, moreish with crunchy fruit and plenty of length on the finish.

Food Matching

Steak, Game and Poultry

Awards

Robert Parkers The Wine Advocate 92 Points
The serious red 2019 Pas Curtei was produced with a blend of 45% Cariñena, 35% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that fermented destemmed after a five-day cold soak and was kept very protected from oxygen. It matured in French oak barrels and a 1,000-liter oak foudre for 14 to 16 months. It is perfumed and has notes of roses and talcum powder intermixed with hints of graphite and peat, some spices and a touch of smoke, ripe fruit and decayed flowers. The palate is medium to full-bodied, with contained ripeness and 13.8% alcohol, keeping very good freshness reflected by a pH of 3.4. 12,000 bottles produced. 92 Points, LG, September 2022.