Murviedro springs a surprise with its new Clay range: a Bobal red and two whites – a Garnacha and a Xarel·lo – in a tribute to the traditional vessels in which the wines are aged to bring out their varietal aromas and terroir. They are also bottled in distinguished-looking ceramic containers.
Fired clay was one of the first materials produced by humans and we continue to use it to this day for its extraordinary qualities. Terracotta vessels have been used in wine production since ancient times, both for fermentation and for ageing, keeping and transporting wine. The oldest evidence of winemaking dates back 8,000 years to an archaeological site in Georgia, where fragments of large clay jugs have been found containing traces of tartaric, malic, succinic and citric acid: all compounds contained in wine.
Without having to go back that far, at Requena you can visit La Solana de Las Pilillas, the oldest archaeological site for wine production preserved on the Iberian Peninsula, dating back to the 5th century BC. Many fragments of terracotta pieces used in the process have been found there.
Nowadays, some of the most creative wine producers have returned to working with clay due to the particular qualities provided by the material, such as the slow and constant micro-oxygenation through its pores; the concentration of the wine, which improves its structure due to the loss of part of water by capillarity; and the way it respects the characteristics of each grape variety in its purest form by not transmitting flavours or tannins, as happens with wood. It is not easy to work with clay vessels – in-depth knowledge of the correct techniques is needed – but the resulting wines are worth it.
Clay: Murviedro wines aged in traditional vessels
For years, Murviedro has been using traditional vessels to age its most iconic wine, La Casa de la Seda, which it makes at its Historic Winery in the medieval district of La Villa in Requena.
With the experience acquired in this type of production, the new Clay range is being launched in the Horeca channel in the form of three wines intended for fine dining and for enthusiasts who appreciate the purity and expressiveness achieved with such careful preparation. All these wines are organic and suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, as they are clarified and filtered with products of mineral and vegetable origin.
Clay Bobal 2022 is a very particular varietal red wine, made with grapes grown organically in small plots of old vines with very low production. Both in the field and in the winery, the philosophy is one of minimal intervention with the aim of reflecting the full potential of the terroir.
The wine is fermented with its own native yeasts. Once it is stabilised, it is aged for six months on its fine lees in traditional 1,000-litre clay vessels.
It is a beautiful purple-red colour, typical of the Bobal variety. Its aroma is dominated by fruity notes recalling berries, aromatic plants, violets and spices such as saffron. On the palate, it is all red and black berries, with a sweetish touch of blackcurrant jam. The wine is persistent, with good acidity and freshness, silky tannins and a mineral background.
Clay Xarel·lo 2022 is a varietal white wine made with grapes from old vines grown organically in clay soil. They undergo a long cold maceration before pressing, and ferment with their own native yeasts. Aged for three months in clay vessels, this unique wine demonstrates the great quality potential of Xarel·lo.
Clay Xarel·lo is lemon yellow with a greenish rim. Its aroma is intense and complex, with touches of ripe white fruit, stone fruit, citrus and notes of white flowers. Light hints of tropical fruits appear, together with herbaceous notes and aniseed. In the mouth, the wine is fresh, saline and mineral.
Clay Garnacha Blanca 2022 is a tribute to authentic qualities – the clay of the jars in which this Garnacha Blanca varietal wine is aged. It is made from grapes grown in small plots of old vines, which ferment with their own native yeasts, as they are organically grown.
This exclusive wine is a very bright greenish yellow. It has citrus, lemon and pineapple aromas on a delicate background of white flowers. In the mouth, the attack is fresh, with fruity flavour and good acidity. The wine is balanced, with a long, persistent finish, where the citrus notes reappear.
Glazed stoneware bottles
The bottles containing these wines are also very special. They are made of enamelled stoneware, a material with properties very different from conventional glass bottles. The ceramic material is completely opaque to light, the bottles are closed with cork stoppers, and they are protected with different coloured sealing wax for each type of wine.