Blanc de Blancs 2023

2023

Drought and grape quality are the main protagonists.

From October 1, 2022 to the end of the harvest, 232 mm of water have been recorded, although the average figure for the last decade is 500 mm. Also noteworthy is the increase in temperature, which is 16ºC, 0.8ºC higher than the average of the last ten years. The result is a three-year period of drought with consequences for the entire crop, which has led to a reduction in the harvest of between 40% and 60% in the estate. Xarel-lo and Sumoll, varieties native to the Penedès, are the ones that have best withstood the high temperatures and lack of water. On the other hand, varieties such as Parellada and Macabeo are suffering more from the drought and the harvest has been reduced by up to 60% compared to 2022. This vintage may remind us of 2016, which was very dry, with great health and grapes with very concentrated sugars and acidity.

Extremely dry vintage and great grape quality. The earliest harvest ever held at the estate.

THREE NATIVE WHITE GRAPE VARIETIES AND THE NEW NATIVE VARIETY MALVASIA DE SITGES

The Vinya del Llac is a vineyard that faces north. The clay soils release water slowly throughout the vegetative cycle and, deep beneath the surface, we find calcareous bedrock with incrusted pebbles, which limit the water reserve, giving the grapes in this flagship plot more structure. The influence of the lake in this symbolic vineyard moderates the climatic conditions, avoids heatwaves and favours long ripening. 

The great novelty this year is the incorporation of the Malvasia de Sitges in the Blanc de Blancs blend.

The Malvasia de Sitges is a variety that has almost disappeared and which we have recovered from our estate. With 1.5 Ha in our La Plana vineyard. Thus, in order to continue innovating with our sparkling wines, we decided to incorporate the Malvasia de Sitges to the Blanc de Blancs, a variety that is complicated in viticulture but a jewel in winemaking, since it has a very high natural acidity, thus, it acts as a natural acidifying, it also gives us volume, it has good ripening and is intensely and aromatically complex.

We present a Blanc de Blancs with 5% Malvasia from Sitges, and the rest with the traditional native varieties; Macabeu, Xarel-lo and Parellada.

50% Xarel·lo: Goblet and Espaliertrained vines between 1974 and 1990. 

35% Macabeu: Goblet and Espaliertrained vines between 1982 and 2000.

10% Parellada:  Goblet-trained vines between 1969 and 1989.

5% Malvasia de Sitges

Biodynamic viticulture. Vineyards with spontaneous plant cover, which fosters biodiversity, fertility and life in the soil. We apply manure that comes from our animals and is composted during the winter. We adopt the gobelet short pruning system. Plant infusions are used as phytotherapy to minimise the use of copper and sulphur. The European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) is controlled by sexual confusion. Control of berries and ripening before the harvest. Manual harvest.

Gravity-led grape reception system at the winery. At each stage, the atmosphere is controlled with dry ice. Slow, lowpressure pressing. Static settling at low temperatures. First fermentation in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature, separating varieties and soil types, blending, second fermentation in the bottle and minimum ageing of 18 months with the lees in the bottles. We do not add expedition liquor. The disgorging date is indicated on the back label.