Entero Old Vine Macabeo 2023 (Organic)

Entero Old Vine Macabeo has lightly floral, pear and tropical fruit aromas and light citrus and honey notes. A nicely textured, dry white with flavours of pears, melons and tropical fruit with balancing citrus acidity on the finish. This is a refreshing, easy-drinking, organic white with good length and depth of flavours at this price point. It is made from the Macabeo grape. (it takes this name in this area of Spain; in Rioja it is called Viura).

Entero Old Vine Macabeo is produced by the San Antonio Abad Co-operative in Fuentealbilla in the Albacete province, with a group of English wine makers from the De Alto project. Their vineyards in DO Manchuela (central Spain) are 700 metres above sea level and produce pristine and healthy grapes. Organic cultivation is easy in this privileged region, where night-time breezes moderate the high daytime summer temperatures. There is virtually no rain here between May and September, eliminating the risk of diseases in the vineyard.

The result is a fresh, un-filtered, vibrantly flavoured dry white wine made from the same grape as found in white Rioja.

Winemaking

Whilst there is no real definition of an Old-Vine, it generally means the vine is at least 25 years old and most will be 35 to 50 years old plus. Older vines produce less grapes and this results in greater concentration of flavours in the wine. Healthy grapes come into the winery and are fermented in tank with minimal manipulation, before being bottled without filtration. Macabeo or Viura wines are sometimes oak-aged; this wine has no oak ageing.

Food match: Good with Tortilla or Frittata; it will also partner fish, goat’s cheese or Feta Salads. Great on its own!