Cent Bronze
Grape expectations
The Romans are thought to have introduced the grapevine to Mallorca, and Pollença, in the north, is one of the island’s oldest vine-growing areas. Today, on land where those pioneering Romans planted vines, a bodega owned by a German businessman is producing award-winning wines from non-native grape varieties.
Bodegas Ca’n Vidalet was founded in 1996, when they planted vines on what had long been fallow land. In 2001, they built the cellar and produced their first wine. They grow Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Moscatel, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties and produce around 50,000 bottles of wine a year (of which around 40 per cent is white wine).
Here in this unique location – shielded by the Tramuntana from harsh northerly winds and favoured by cool sea breezes from the Bay of Pollença -
the grapes mature more slowly, resulting in deeper fruit flavours and aromas.
Ca’n Vidalet’s owner keeps a low profile; the bodega is run by fellow Germans, winemaker Stefan Winterling and Anja Köhler, who runs the office, wine tastings and sales side of the business.
Among the international wine awards gained recently: Blanc de Blancs 2008 – Gold at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2009, Silver at Mundus Vini 2009 in Germany; Blanc de Negres 2008 – Silver at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2009; Chardonnay 2008 – Bronze at the Chardonnay du Monde 2009 in France. And in Hong Kong, Ca’n Vidalet won awards for four of their wines in the 1st Challenge to the Best Spanish Wines for Asia 2009.
Some award-winning wines are still in stock: Merlot 2005 – Bronze at the UK’s Decanter World Wine Awards 2008 and the Berliner Gold at the Berliner Wine Trophy 2009 (12,50 €/ bottle); Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – Bronze Decanter World Wine Award 2008 (12,50 € / bottle), and the Moscatel 2007 – Berliner Gold winner at the Berliner Wine Trophy 2009 (11,00 € / bottle)
Three new wines deserve some attention: Merlot 2006, bottled in May 2009, is made from 100 per cent Merlot grapes harvested by hand, then fermented in stainless steel tanks, and matured in French oak barrels for 28 months. A brilliant garnet colour with hints of ruby red, its lightly toasted aromas offer notes of tobacco and cedarwood and, in the mouth, red fruits, chocolate and coffee with soft tannins. From 2009 there’s the Dolç de Cecili – 100 per cent Moscatel grapes, hand-harvested. Fermented in stainless steel tanks, it was bottled last November. On the nose, there are hints of tropical fruit; in the mouth it’s rounded, dense and soft, with an agreeable finish. Also bottled last November was the Blanc de Blancs 2009, a blend of 60 per cent Chardonnay and 40 per cent Sauvignon Blanc.
Ca’n Vidalet offers a choice of wine tastings for individuals or groups at their bodega. A tasting of five wines, with olives and Mallorcan crackers, costs 3,30 € per person; the same, plus a visit to the cellar, is 4,90 €, or their top tasting – of five wines, accompanied by bread, Mallorcan sausage, Menorcan cheese, olives, crackers and water – costs 12,50 a head (for which advance booking is necessary).
Visit Ca’n Vidalet and you’ll understand why there’s an expectation of more awards to come in 2010.
Bodegas Ca’n Vidalet
About the Author
Dr. Helen Cummins is the Editor of abcMallorca Magazine a high quality guide to mallorca printed in three languages including informative Articles about Mallorca, up to date Events Guide and a Business Directory.
You can visit the abcMallorca website to read the original article about Grape expectations or related articles about Mallorcan wines.
Antique Oriental Indian style (19th Cent) bronze boat shaped
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