Arraona blanc
Arraona is the name attributed to the ancient Iberian town of Sabadell. This wine was created with the aim of reclaiming the winegrowing past of the city and recovering farming, cultural and scenic values. We work manually on its production and uphold our commitment to a social and periurban farming initiative at the Can Gambús vineyard in the Sabadell Agricultural Park that L’Olivera has been managing with the Can Calopa team since 2010.
This wine is one of the outsourced microprojects L’Olivera engages in with the aim of strengthening alliances with the local community, sharing experiences and knowledge and helping to promote farming activity across different rural and urban settings. It is the result of an agreement between L’Olivera and Sabadell City Council to recover traditional winegrowing in the municipal area.
Terroir
ORIGIN: Vineyards from the Can Gambús estate in the Sabadell Agricultural Park. The Agricultural Park is an undeveloped protected agroforestry space to the west of the municipal area, between the districts of Castellarnau, Can Gambús and Ca n’Oriac. The land combines forests and streams with rain-fed and irrigated cropland.
SOIL: Chalky clay soil with a variable presence of stones, mainly pebbles, and a good capacity for water retention.
CLIMATE: Climate of a Mediterranean influence, characterised by mild winters, hot summers, moderate temperature changes and scarce and strongly irregular seasonal rainfall. The sea breeze comes along in the afternoon, easing the high summer temperatures.
Varieties
Xarel·lo (50%) and Chardonnay (50%)
Vine growing
Organic farming. Manual harvest in crates of 10-12 kg.
Wine processing
Fermented at a controlled temperature in oak barrels, aged on the lees and stirred weekly (battonage).
Production
2022 vintage: 2,894 bottles
Technical sheet
Arraona blanc 2022
Characteristics of the vintage
The 2022 vintage has been marked by a continuous drought, which has exarcerbated the extreme conditions of 2021. After a winter and an early spring with normal temperatures, May began with a sudden increase in temperatures that lasted until August, reaching at 37.5ºC in May or 38.8ºC in August, surpassing some historical records and with waves that lasted for more than three consecutive weeks.
This, added to the low rainfall (393.7 litres in all of 2022), has led to the loss of the flower and the premature dehydration of the grapes and, as a consequence, a reduction in production of up to 50% of some of the more sensitive varieties.
Viticulture and wine processing
Organic farming. The grapes are hand-picked into 10-kilo crates and pressed whole, including seeds and stems. The varieties are fermented separately in oak barrels, mostly French, and with 60% second-year barrels, in order to respect the varietal character of the grapes and achieve an optimal balance in the contribution of the wood. It is aged on lees with weekly battonage for 4-5 month, creating a more full-bodied palate and subtly and elegantly incorporating the woody notes into the flavour of the wine.
Analysis
Alcohol content: 13%
Total acidity: 3.19 g/l (sulphuric acid)
Volatile acidity: 0.26 g/l
Residual sugar: 0.5 g/l (glucose+fructose)
Total sulphur: 77 mg
Tasting notes
In the nose, intense bouquet of white fruit (pear, apple, melon) and tropical fruit (banana, pineapple) with hints of aromatic plants suchs as fennel and notes of raw almond and sweet spices (clove). In the mouth it is a fresh wine, with volume and a long aftertaste where the toasted notes of the wood appear. Long and slightly bitter finish. Goes well with rice and stewed legumes. Ideal for pairing with pasta plates and all kind of fish and white meat.
Awards
International Wine Awards 2019:
Gold medal (2017 vintage)