Agaliu
‘Agaliu’ is an old word from north-western Catalonia meaning ‘hope’, confidence in being able to make a wish come true. Our wish with this wine is to reinterpret our origins, exploring new paths with more complex productions. It is the wish to seek new expressions with a variety like the Macabeo, known for its productive capacity and subtlety, which we work with to make subtle, sophisticated wines. Agaliu therefore represents our dream of promoting this historical grape with a varietal wine, the first in the Costers del Segre Designation of Origin and one of the first in Catalonia.
We want Agaliu to prove that, with good work in the vineyard, balanced production and grapes from relatively cool zones, we can explore the Macabeo’s potential for expression in unique, smooth wines. The production in oak barrels of different volumes and the periodic battonage work, in addition to experimentation with new materials such as cement vats, allows us to find this purest expression of the Macabeo with a contribution very balanced of the wood.
Terroir
ORIGIN: Vineyards around Vallbona de les Monges in the Corb River Valley subzone of the Costers del Segre DO. Plots characterised by the drystone walls that surround the vineyards, preserving the fertility of the soil and the efficiency of the water. SOIL: Chalky clay soil with variable levels of stoniness and depth. CLIMATE: The climate is continental Mediterranean, with cold dry winters and hot summers tempered by the soft breeze blowing in from the sea in the evening that cools the night, particularly during ripening season. The scarce rainfall is concentrated in autumn and spring (350-450 mm yearly).
Varieties
Macabeo (100%)
Vine growing
Organic farming. Manual harvest in crates of 10-12 kg.
Wine processing
Blending of two different preparations. A part of the must ferments at a controlled temperature (15-17ºC) in American and French oak barrels, with 6-8 months aging on the lees and weekly battonage. The rest is fermented in tank and aged for 2 months in cement vats.
Production
2023 vintage: 13,664 bottles
Technical sheet
Agaliu 2023
Characteristics of the vintage
The 2023 vintage was, like 2022, also very complicated on an agronomic level, especially dut to the low rainfall and extreme conditions with numerous days with maximum temperatures above 35ºC. All these elements led to limited plant development and a considerable reduction in production (between 30 and 80% lower than average under our dryland viticulture conditions). These extreme conditions of heat and drought forced us to advance the harvest a lot to maintain the balance and quality of the grapes. We started it very early, on the 18th of August, and finished it on the 4th of October. The conditions of drought and low humidity allowed us, at least, to obtain a healthy grape without any fungal infections.
Viticulture and wine processing
Certified organic dry land farming. We harvest the grapes manually and press them whole, including seeds and stems. 65% of the must ferments at a controlled temperature (15-17ºC) in American and French oak barrels, with a percentage of new wood that never exceeds 15%, to respect the varietal character of the Macabeo. Aging takes place on the lees of the wine for 6-8 months, with weekly battonage to increase the volume in the mouth and seek a finer and more elegant integration of the wood into the wine. Another proportion of must, 25%, ferments in a stainless steel tank and is then aged for 2 months in a cement tank, looking for a more tense profile, more volume in the mouth and fresh aromas. Finally, 6% of the must has been in a stoneware amphora for 2 months, to give it more complexity in the aromas and more intensity on the palate, and 4% of the wine ferments in stainless steel tank in order to bring freshness to the final blend.
Analysis
Alcohol content: 12.5%
Total acidity: 3.06 g/l (sulphuric acid)
Volatile acidity: 0.40 g/l
Residual sugar: 0.4 g/l (glucose+fructose)
Total sulphur: 61 mg/l
Tasting notes
Straw yellow colour, bright aspect. Intense nose, with aromas of fresh and citrus fruit and a subtle presence of white fruit (pear, apple). Subtle and elegant, floral notes also stand out, of white flowers and orange blossom and a hint of honey. On the palate it is fine and well balanced, with a good acidity that gives it persistence. Pairs well with all types of rice dishes, ceviche and grilled vegetables.
Awards
Guia Peñín:
2023: 91 points (2020 vintage)
2022: 91 points (2019 vintage)
2021: 91 points (2018 vintage)
2020: 91 points (2017 vintage)
Guia de Vins de Catalunya:
2024: 9,68 points (2021 vintage)
2021: 9,24 points (2018 vintage)
2020: 9,5 points (2018 vintage)
2019: 9,6 points (2017 vintage)
2018: 9,6 points (2016 vintage)
Decanter 2022:
Silver medal (2020 vintage)
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2022:
Silver medal (2020 vintage)
Golden Leaf Awards 2015:
Silver medal (2014 vintage)