Vinyes de Barcelona white
Vinyes de Barcelona is the only wine produced in the city of Barcelona. It is created at the Can Calopa de Dalt estate on the northern side of the Collserola mountain range. That is where we grow the grapes and make the wine in a small, refurbished winery, a project started by the Barcelona City Council in 2001 and managed by L’Olivera since 2010 with a commitment to social farming thant combines quality produce with social inclusion and respect for the enrironment.
This wine is the result of a collective commitment to periuban agriculture, taking a contemporary approach to restoring agricultural activity linked to major cities. Made with Xarel·lo, formerly present in the Collserola area, which at L’Olivera we recover to enhance the value of this variety and make it in different vinifications, researching materials such as stoneware jugs or demijohn to obtain a subtle and elegant wine, faithful to its agricultural and human landscape.
Terroir
ORIGIN: Vineyards from the Can Calopa estate on the northeast side of the Collserola mountain range and within the Barcelona municipal area, 300 metres above sea level. A landscape of agricultural mosaics amidst forests areas comprising pines, holm oaks and Mediterranean shrub species. The estate combines terraces with small flat plots.
SOIL: Loamy textured soil with slate and shale substrates.
CLIMATE: Climate of a Mediterranean influence, characterised by mild winters, hot summers, moderate temperature changes and scarce and strongly irregular seasonal rainfall. The Can Calopa estate faces northeast, makint it a cool estate where the grapes ripen slowly and gradually. The sea breeze comes along in the afternoon, easing the high summer temperatures.
Varieties
Xarel·lo (100%)
Vine growing
Organic farming. Grapes are carefully selected and manually harvested in crates of 10-12 kg.
Wine processing
70% of the must ferments in tanks and undergoes two types of ageing: 80% is aged in stoneware jars and the rest, 20%, in demijohns. The rest of the must, 30%, ferments and ages in oak barrels.
Production
2023 vintage: 885 bottles
Technical sheet
Vinyes de Barcelona white 2023
Features of the vintage
The 2023 vintage in the Barcelona region has been marked by scarce rainfall with some occasional rainfall during the winter and a dry spring. The summer has been very hot and dry, with high temperatures throughout the season, strong heat waves and an accumulated rainfall of less than 150mm, which has caused a situation of persistent drought. Despite these conditions, good practices in soil management have helped to preserve the health of the plants. The vineyards have resisted well, although it has been necessary to make occasional water contributions to the weakest vineyards. In general, production has been lower than expected but balanced and of high quality, as the severe drought has favoured exceptional plant and grape health.
Viticulture and wine processing
Organic rainfed viticulture. Manual harvesting in 10-12 kg boxes and selection of the grapes in the vineyard. This wine is the result of two different elaborations. On the one hand, 70% of the must ferments in tanks and undergoes two types of ageing: part (80%) is aged in stoneware jars and the rest (20%) in demijohns. On the other hand, the rest of the must, 30%, ferments and ages in barrels.
Analysis
Alcohol content: 12%
Total acidity: 3.44 g/l (sulphuric acid)
Volatile acidity: 0.13 g/l
Residual sugar: 0.8 g/l (glucose + fructose)
Total sulphur: 85 mg/l
Tasting notes
Pale yellow colour with golden reflections, clean and bright. Subtle and elegant nose, where notes of brioche stand out on a background of white fruit and citrus, and also sweet aromas of honey. On the palate, memories of white fruit and lactic notes return. It is a wine that invites to be paired with low-intensity dishes, such as rice or creams. As a suggestion: accompany it with vegetable cannelloni or sardine with garlic and parsley.