DOSSIER: EMPORDÀ
Seen as the Iberian Peninsula’s gateway to winegrowing, L'Empordà is building a promising future on the foundations of a rich winemaking history that was crucial to the industry’s development and on a land (and climate) marked by striking contrasts.
The launch of Somiadors (DO Empordà) represents the fourth addition to the 7 Magnífics collection. These locally sourced wines express the purity of a specific territory and the particular viticultural approach of local winegrowers.
On this occasion, we venture into a magical, creative and beautiful land known as l'Empordà.
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Knowing a place is essential to understanding its wines
Located on the northeastern coast of Catalonia, L'Empordà is swept by the Tramuntana, leading some to believe that perhaps these gusts of wind also inspire strokes of creative genius. One could mention Dalí or Ferran Adrià's El Bulli restaurant...
The land is undeniably linked to color and imagination, boundless creativity, dreams, and a kind of surrealist attitude to life.
Between the mountains and the sea. A land of contrasts.
The identity of L'Empordà is shaped by a landscape of striking contrasts, a snippet of sky caught between the Pyrenees to the north and the Costa Brava to the east.
Contrast is also what defines the vineyards: diversity of soil composition and microclimates is a hallmark of the DO Empordà.
In this regard, the region's winegrowing reaps the benefits of a Mediterranean climate with warm summers, the heat mitigated by the breeze blowing in from the sea, and mild winters.
The most distinctive climatic factor, however, is the Tramuntana, a cold northerly wind that might make farming somewhat difficult, but helps the vines stay healthy.
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Varieties: Carinyena and Garnacha, the queens of l'Empordà.
Climatic and topographic factors make the region an ideal spot to grow mid- and long-cycle varieties.
The majority of the vines are over 30 years old, which means limited production in terms of yield/vine, but great quality and complexity in the resulting wines.
Traditional red varieties, especially Carinyena (Samsó or Mazuelo) and Garnacha (locally known as lledoner) are and have been the pillars of the industry as far back as “paleoviticulture."
Nowadays, heritage varieties grow alongside international ones in the ampelographic garden of l'Empordà: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Monastrell, Tempranillo and Garnacha Peluda.
The predominant indigenous white varieties include white Garnacha, Macabeu and Muscat of Alexandria, which have been joined by subsequent settlers like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer and Xarel·lo.
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Carinyena
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Garnatxa
Over the past decade, the rise of a new generation of winegrowers committed to returning the appellation to its previous splendor has revolutionized the local wine scene[AP1]: in only ten years, the DO Empordà has grown from about 20 wineries to over 50.
The wines
The reds are beautifully crafted, high-quality, full-bodied, but balanced, harmonious and well-made, which is saying a lot.
Local Crianza and Reserva wines share very characteristic notes framed by attractive complexity: fragrant, flavorful and spicy, but always fruit-forward.
Although winemaking in the region goes back 2500 years, the DO Empordà is relatively young (1975)
The whites are fresh, nervy, flavorful and of exquisite quality.
The appellation also produces rosé wines with a distinctive cherry red color and a delicate aroma. They are very fresh and moderate in terms of alcohol content.
