The Sant Pere de Ribes winery, which expands the malvasia vineyards, opens in the Marina del Garraf sub-zone with the sparkling Marta

The Torre del Veguer family winery in Sant Pere de Ribes has just released the second vintage of its successful white wine, 100% made with the native, aromatic and scarce Malvasia variety from Sitges. After being launched on the market last year with a very limited production, this year some 3,000 bottles of the fragrant and rounded Torre del Veguer Malvasía de Sitges 2017 are sold. This is an organic wine, the fruit of the Can Parès estate, which follows the guidelines of the Catalan Council for Organic Agricultural Production (CCPAE). Torre del Veguer Malvasía de Sitges 2017 is included in the Massís del Garraf sub-zone and is protected by the DO Penedès. It shows an outstanding aromatic intensity, with frank fruity notes of water peach, bergamot and grapefruit, with a background of fresh Mediterranean herbs, such as fennel and thyme. It also has a balsamic background.

The harvest of this Sitges malvasia is manual, in 20 kg boxes, with a quick entry to the winery and continuous cold vinification, decreasing the temperature of the grapes in the winery in a refrigerated chamber, until reaching 6° C. The pressing is gentle, with yields of 55%, producing only with must flower. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in a 2,400 litre stainless steel tank at a controlled temperature of 15º C for 14 days. The lees are aged for 2 to 3 months on the lees. Likewise, it is worked with a low use of sulphur during the winemaking process.

It is a bright pale yellow colour with green reflections. It has a sweet tooth on the palate, fresh and tasty. The upbringing with the mothers gives it a certain unctuosity and its very good acidity gives it a great verticality. It is persistent and voluminous. It is recommended to harmonize with the red shrimp of Vilanova, fish, rice and Asian cuisine for its remarkable acidity.

They are so satisfied in Torre del Veguer with the results obtained with the Sitges malvasia that they have decided to increase the vineyards of this native variety of the Garraf to their property in Sant Pere de Ribes, according to the winery’s director, Joaquín Gay de Montellà Estany.

Premiere in the sub-area of the D.O.Penedès “Marina del Garraf” by the Clàssic Penedès Marta

Torre del Veguer has also made its debut in the Marina del Garraf sub-area of the DO Penedès with the sparkling Marta 2015 Brut Nature. Produced using the traditional method, its ageing in the bottle with its mothers is extended for 15 months at a temperature of 16° C, “to enhance the aroma and characteristics of the muscat variety to the maximum”, according to the winery’s technical director, Marta Estany. It is recommended to serve it at about 7° C. Its quality will be optimal during the 24 months after it has been slit.

The Classic Penedès Marta 2015, of limited production, stands out for the tropical notes typical of primary aromas such as mango, which are found again in the mouth. It shows a very integrated carbon dioxide, with fine and elegant bubbles. “With Marta we were looking for a sparkling wine with its own personality, and different from the rest of the sparkling wines in the area”, according to Marta Estany.