‘Biodiverso Amphora’

Petit Manseng, Manchuela, Spain 

A punchy, pungent and textural skin-contact wine of tart tropical fruit and shaved almonds. Petit Manseng, most often found in Spain’s Basque region, journeys south to winemaker Rosalia Molina’s high-altitude land in Manchuela. Altolandon sits 1,100 metres above sea level, Molina stresses the importance of the vineyard’s perch in the sky causing harvests to begin two months later than most of Spain (!), waiting for the cool to give way. The late harvest and cool evening temps promote slow maturation of the fruit, gifting thick skins and concentrated pulp. The result? Aromatically dense wines with unique, punchy profiles and gripping tannins. Biodiverso is the product of Petit Manseng vines in their early twenties planted in chalky clay soil—one of 15 soil types on Altolandon’s 120-hectare vineyard. 24 hours of skin contact give grippy tannins and golden colour, before two years of aging in amphora for abounding teXtUre. The wine sits undisturbed under flor, a protective layer of yeast left untouched, which produces nutty aromas, almond frangipane, sherry salinity and homemade grapefruit curd. A versatile food wine down for grilled shellfish and braised pork, even willing to go toe to toe with your most adventurous cheeses.