We’re very pleased that Jancis Robinson has chosen Albert Jané Ubeda’s 2012 Acústic Blanc as her wine of the week. Albert visited us recently in May for our Press tasting (for which Jancis has also coincidentally just published her full tasting notes on her website (www.JancisRobinson.com (paywall) – PDF) and subsequently members of our buying team visited his vineyards and winery in Montsant, just 100 km’s South West from Barcelona, some great photos of which appeared on Twitter.
With a tiny production from very old vines in the DO of Montsant (neighbouring Priorat) consisting of Garnatxa (Garnacha) and Samso (Cariñena) the vines are between 25 and 70 years old and planted in gravelly and stony soils.
Albert’s philosophy is to create wines that ‘express and revindicate the quality and singularity of the traditional viticulture against the globalisation of the international varieties and modern wine making style’.
Hand picked grapes, traditional vinification (small wooden press), prudent use of oak, and bottling without fining or filtration, make these two of the most exciting and expressive wines we have tasted from this upcoming region.
2012 ACÚSTIC BLANC Bodegas Acústic (Magnums only*)
Grapes: Garnacha, Macabeo
Colour: White
Origin: Spain, Catalunya
ABV: 14%
‘Amazing lift and perfume endowed by the Grenache Gris. Lightly and excitingly bitter with real vivacity. Apparently the 2008 is wonderful now. Fermented lemon cough sweets. Very good value. The bargain among the four Acústic wines I tasted recently was Acústic Blanc 2012 Montsant, from what tastes like a particularly successful vintage for this unusual and exciting white. It’s a blend of 60% Garnacha Blanca, 25% Macabeu, 10% Garnacha Gris and 5% Pansal, the local name for Xarello. The vines are 30 to 70 years old at a range of different elevations and expositions. A quarter of the wine was barrel fermented, all of it was aged on lees.’ 17/20 Jancis Robinson OBE MW – (Aug 2015)
Magnums (1.5l) £31.95 Case price £28.95
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* We only have magnums of the 2012 left in stock – but we have plenty of 2013 in bottles, referred to recently by Harry Eyres in Country Life magazine as:
“A rare, mouth-filling and rich textured Blanc.”
2013 ACÚSTIC BLANC Bodegas Acústic
75cl bottles £14.95 Case price £13.50
Wishing you a warm weekend,