2020 Nin-Ortiz Selma de Nin Blanco

Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz are the proud owners of this tiny wine estate with vineyards in Porrera and Torroja, and Gratallops. Ester is an oenologist and biologist originally from the higher part of the Penedès, in El Pla de Manlleu. Carles is in charge of the vineyard, along with his mules Negret and Max. Ester is best known for her work as an oenologist of Clos Erasmus in Gratallops and of NUN, the top white wine of Enric Soler in the Penedès, of which she vinified the first vintages. In all her projects, she resolutely opts for biodynamics.

In 2004, she bought a small plot of land with just over 1 ha of vineyard, Mas d'en Caçador: a steep slope high above the road from Porrera to Torroja. 2004 was also the first harvest of its own wine (barely one barrique), the Nit de Nin, which immediately gained cult status and monster scores. In the early years, it was just Garnatxa and Carinyena. For the Nit de Nin this is 60% Garnatxa Peluda and for the Planetes 70% Garnatxa País. The Garnatxa Peluda is mixed with old Carinyena planted on steep slopes (costers). The Planetes vineyards (5 ha) consist of 4 ha Garnatxa on terraces and 1ha Carinyena on a steep slope. The new canes that have been planted are clones that have taken themselves from old Carinyena. In the meantime, several almost extinct cépages have been added to the portfolio. The native white Montanega, which is a variant of the Parellada, for the Terra Vermella. Ester's other white crown jewel is the Selma de Nin, originating from Penedès, more specifically the village of Selma, where an elevated parcel of the family is bombarded with Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Xarello.

All vineyards are biodynamically worked with the help of two mules and are located on pure llicorella (slate) spread over:

Mas d'en Caçador, three small vineyards on steep slopes (costers), with orientation north-east, north-west, between 400 and 650 m altitudes. This is one of the highest vineyards in Priorat, seen from the road between Porrera and Torroja.

Planetes: llicorella with a lot of iron oxide called ferral, much harder than regular llicorella. The new vineyards (between 5 and 13 years old) are planted on terraces and part on old 'costers' (Carinyena), visible from the road between Falset and Porrera.

Coma d'en Romeu: Grand cru vineyard covered with 75 years old Garnacha at an altitude of 350 m. Ilicorella and southern orientation.

La Rodeda: Located near Mas d'en Cacador with 80-year-old Garnatxa Peluda at an altitude of 700 m. Here too llicorella is the main soil component.

Selma de Nin: Located at an altitude of 750 meters with a limestone subsoil and a limited amount of clay.

Terra Vermella: The "red grounds" is the literal translation of the name of this white wine. The subsoil here consists mainly of ferruginous clay mixed with stones at an altitude of 550 m.

Only indigenous yeasts are used with an absolute minimum of sulfur. An extensive selection, in which all the overripe grapes are removed, ensures elegant and mineral wines. One page a day, manual and gentle. Then 18 months élevage in French oak barrels, 1/3 new.

The Planetes is selected in the same way. Fermentation and élevage for 12 to 14 months take place in 3000-liter French oak conical foeders and partly in Nit de Nin barriques from the previous year. Over the years, Ester has been omitting more and more barrique in favor of amphorae and large foeders. In the meantime, the couple has managed to build a small, functional bodega integrated into the vineyards. The harvest year 2020 is the first vintage that was vinified here.

DO. Cataluña is special because it is the first province-encompassing D.O. and received its status in 1999. This D.O. was there to ensure that wineries from existing Catalan D.O.s could compose various wines from these D.O.s while guaranteeing the quality and status of these wines. Another factor was that Cataluña, with an umbrella designation of origin, has another 4000 hectares of vineyards under the D.O. was allowed to scissors, which were previously unclassified. Vineyards belonging to the D.O. registered are allowed to release unblended wines under the original geographically defined D.O. of which they are members.

Catalonia is also written as Catalunya and Cataluña.

Spain's northeast part, like the iconic city of Barcelona, ​​is as French as Spanish — and home to a culture, cuisine and personality all its own. From delicious Cava, Spain's sparkling wine (95 percent of which is produced in this region), to exciting red blends from Emporda, Catalunya offers outstanding diversity.

The region's diverse geography also helps. Penedes, the main DO of Catalunya, is hilly and cool and well suited to cava production, but in the warmer parts international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay do well. The higher Montsant region has concentrated, dense reds, while the warmer Terra Alta region has limestone and clay soils that are also well suited to dry reds. The main Cava grapes, Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada, are widely planted here, but Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet are found in abundance throughout the region.

Smaller wine regions are Allella, Costers del Segre and the Priorat. The Priorat is world famous for its dark red quality wines.

Red wine is made from blue grapes. The wines get their dark colour from the skin of the grape, which ferments with the grape juice. The intensity of the colour is determined by how long the juice has matured; a young red wine will have a somewhat purple colour, while older wines tend to be more orange or brown-red.

With around 10,000 varieties of grapes worldwide, you can go in all directions.

The most well-known blue grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Syrah / Shiraz.

Types of red wine

There are many different types of grapes with different characteristics and aromas. The differences within grape varieties are due to the difference in climate, the soil where the vines are planted, and the amount of sun.

The end result is in the hands of the winemaker. During the process from juice to wine, the winemaker still has a lot of options to change the final product into what he wants to put on the market.

The upbringing of the wine plays a major role in this. After fermentation, the process of raising and maturing the wine begins. There are many options for influencing the wine, but the most well-known concerns the ageing in wood.

If the winemaker chooses to raise the wine on wood, many things come into play. The first choice is whether new or older barrels will be used. Older, used barrels release less or no more aromas and tannins, but they still have an oxidative function. New wood barrels let in dosed oxygen and ensure that the wine has aromas and tannins. This is more intense with smaller barrels than with large wooden barrels.

Dry red wine

The most famous red wine is a dry red wine. The number of grape varieties and different taste profiles are enormous. There is a nice glass of red for every moment.

Sweet red wine

Just like sweet white wine, there is sweet red wine too! They are a lot rarer than dry red wines. If you want to try something different, it's definitely worth a try.

Alcohol-free red wine

Non-alcoholic wine is becoming more and more popular. Whether it is red non-alcoholic wine, white non-alcoholic wine, or sparkling non-alcoholic wine, more and more attention is being paid to it. Perfect for a cosy drink during pregnancy, or during a non-alcoholic month!

Red wine Gift

Red wine is fun to give, and even more fun to receive! Grandcruwijnen has ready-made wine gifts to make your gift recipient happy ;)

If you have your eye on a bottle of wine, at Grandcruwijnen we also have gift packaging to complete your gift! If you've found something you like, you can easily add a gift card during checkout.

Buy red wine online

At Grandcruwijnen you can easily buy red wine online. In our range, you will find products from the well-known grape varieties. If you want to buy a nice red wine, you have come to the right place at Grandcruwijnen. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us!

The Chenin Blanc grape

The taste of the wine obtained is fresh with notes of grass and green apples and resembles Sauvignon Blanc. The Chenin Blanc contains relatively many acids, which gives it strength and can therefore mature for several years.

The Chenin Blanc is versatile and is mainly found in the Lioredal and also in South Africa (called 'Steen' there). It is said that the grape was used in South Africa for brandy. Today, wines made from chenin blanc have concentrated finesse.

What does a chenin blanc wine taste like?

A particularly identifiable grape based on aroma and palate, Chenin Blanc is often known for its notes of honey and straw. Wines are also often described as having a perceptible minerality, as well as a palate that is rich in stone-fruit flavors. Other fruits that are often prominent on the nose and palate include green apple, guava, pear and quince.

Parellada is a white grape variety from Spain, which is mainly grown in Catalonia. It is one of the three types used to make the well-known sparkling Spanish wine cava. The other two are the types of macabeo and xarel-lo.

What does wine from the Parellada grape taste like?

The Parellada wine has a lime-like freshness, which is added to the Spanish Cava. When the wine is drunk as young as possible, the light and fresh flavors come into their own. The Cava Brut Gran Reserva contains the scents of green apple and citrus.

Roussanne is a white grape found mainly in the (northern) Rhône, but also in Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence. In addition, there are also some small areas in France and abroad where it can be found. The grape has an irregular yield and is sensitive to mildew. The grape produces mostly aromatic wines. She is often mixed with Marsanne.

What does wine from the Roussanne grape taste like?

Roussanne's wines are fruity and floral: peach, lemon, mandarin, and pear are the primary notes found in the wine. In addition, you will find notes of honey and nuts in her wines. The wines often have a higher acidity than other white wines.