Únic 2020
A unique thing only happens once, it is ephemeral and does not repeat itself. And it is in this transience that lies its uniqueness. With this unique (Únic) wine we want to build an ephemeral wine that will not be repeated.
A wine that will never be the same again, because we want this new wine to be the summary of the experimental work that is being done from the L’Olivera winery every year. And as no two years are the same, every Únic will be different.
Because we want to share the daily experiences that make us walk every day. Those oak barrels that we like so much but that usually stay in the bowels of the cellar. For this reason, the Únic is a unique wine, a very limited edition which this year is the result of the 900 kilos of White Grenache that were harvested in the 2020 harvest, with the intention of producing a single variety wine that values this variety that we have been working with for a few years in our sweet wines. In this occasion, however, we elaborate it fermenting in oak barrels to make a dry, mature and elegant wine.
Terroir
ORIGIN: The grapes originate from the vineyard of the Partida dels Boscos de Nalec, from traditional bush vines planted in 2013 at more than 600 meters above sea level. The plots are characterised by dry stone walls, which delimit the vineyards and maintain soil fertility and water efficiency.
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 evening breeze blowing in from the sea that cools the night, particularly during the ripening season. The scarce rainfall is concentrated in autumn and spring (350-450 mm yearly).
Varieties
White grenache (100%)
Vine growing
Organic farming. Manual harvest in crates of 10-12 kg and manual selection of the grape on the vine.
Production
2020 vintage: 700 bottles.
Technical sheet
Únic 2020
Characteristics of the 2020 vintage
The 2020 vintage will be remembered for two reasons: the Covid19 pandemic and an exceptionally high rainfall (30-40% above average) during spring and summer, which brings us high plant growth and higher pressure of fungal diseases (mildew) that affected negatively the grape production. A hot summer and good climatic conditions during the harvest result in medium-high ripening and high fruit quality.
Viticulture and wine processing
Organic dry farming. Manual harvest is in boxes of 10-12 kg and selection of the grapes in the vineyard. Pressed whole, including seeds and skin. The wine ferments at a controlled temperature between 15-17ºC, part in new French oak barrels, and part in third-year Hungarian barrels, both 300 litres. The aging is done on the lees of the wine for 8 months. Taking advantage of the effect this generates, we carry out a weekly battonage to increase the mouthfeel and seek a finer integration of the wood. The final wine does not go through any protein stabilization or tartaric treatment, only a light filtration before bottling.
Analysis
Alcohol content: 14%
Tasting notes
Intense and elegant nose, where the notes of white fruit (pear, apple) and tropical fruit (banana, ripe pineapple and melon) stand out, with aniseed touches and a trace of citrus on a background of toffee. On the palate it is an unctuous wine with an intense and tasty attack and a good acidity that gives it freshness. Memories of ripe fruit, with notes of vanilla and toast in the aftertaste.
Goes well with medium-high intensity dishes, such as white meat stews or fatty fish such as salmon. Ideal to accompany some truffle and foie cannelloni or traditional dishes such as meatballs with cuttlefish.
Design
The graphic image of Únic is the work of the Lleida designer Pau Llop and the Barcelona designer Esteve Padilla, from the graphic design studio 131.dg, who wanted to reflect the experimental and unique character of this wine. A label that plays with simplicity and honesty and uses the typography to make each label unique: the number on each bottle incorporates the image of each one, thus making each bottle one of a kind.