2016 Terroir al Límit Vi de Terra Viva Terra de Cuques, Priorat, Spain

White capsule (equivalent of village wine).

Terra de Cuques – which translates as ‘place of the fireflies’ – takes its name from the fireflies that light up the landscape in this area at night. Fireflies are extremely sensitive to chemical contamination and, like ladybirds, their presence tends to indicate a healthy vineyard environment. 

Terra de Cuques is a blend of 90% Pedro Ximénez on the slate soils of Porrera and 10% Moscatel de Alejandría from Molar. 

The source vineyards face northeast and are 400-600 m above sea level. The aspect means the vines are sheltered from the sun’s harshest rays, while the altitude results in cool nights that lock in the grapes refreshing acidity. The bush vines also play their role in maximising coolness and freshness. 

Terra de Cuques is a white wine made in the same way that Dominik Huber makes his reds; whole clusters are layered in a fermentation tank where the weight of the bunches create enough juice for fermentation to begin spontaneously. Then, after one-two weeks the wine is pressed and finishes fermentation in a concrete tank. This offers up pretty, muscat-like, floral, rose water scents - bright and pure.  In the mouth it’s really bright, racy and sappy with the same notes as the aromatics but, at the same time, it’s really restrained and fine. The finish has a lovely twist of powdery phenolics. It leaves the mouth scented for minutes after swallowing. A wonderful and unique wine.

“The yeasty and aromatic 2016 Terra de Cuques was just about to be bottled, so I tasted the final blend, mostly Pedro Ximenez and 10% Muscat that was kept with skins and stems for a week and then with the fine lees until bottling around one year from the vintage. It has tannic structure and a seriousness on the palate, flavors and an aromatic profile very different from the other two whites from Terroir Al Limit. I don't remember such a strong yeasty character from previous vintages, but there is also austere minerality on the palate, a characteristic that I think is very nicely transmitted by the Pedro Ximenez. It's a fresh and balanced vintage.”