El Arca is a 'Viñedo Singular’ wine sourced from a single, tiny (.89ha) plot planted with old, low-yielding Garnacha vines. The limited production means that each bottle represents one vine from this vineyard. Records show vines have been grown on this site, just north of the 15th century castle of Quel, since 1892.
The low-yielding Garnacha vines, some over 100 years old, grow in sandy loam soils at 500m altitude. After harvest the grapes are kept in the cellar at 12ºC, then undergo selection, de-stemming and are placed in American oak barrels. Some of the grapes are gently trodden to release a small amount of must and achieve a carbonic semi-maceration, whilst also enhancing aromatic intensity, and increasing the release of tannins and anthocyanins. Fermentation, from wild yeasts found in the vineyard, begins spontaneously in barrel. The first fermentation lasts 10-12 days, after which the wine is introduced to first year French oak barrels with different levels of toast to complete fermentation. Then the barrels are racked, and the wine is put back into barrel for malolactic fermentation. The wine remains on lees for 5-7 months, then is transferred to concrete egg-shaped tanks for a final 20 months, before bottling.
Complex aromas of red berries, balsamic notes, a touch of rose petal, aniseed and mediterranean herbs. The palate has bramble fruit and well-integrated oak characters, a hint of black pepper and orange peel, fine polished tannins giving good structure and a silky, elegant mouthfeel. Long, dense and creamy.
Each bottle comes in an individual gift box.
