In case you don’t know, our Manuela de Naveran wine is a chardonnay with fermentation and aging in oak barrels. Its monovarietal character and its unique fermentation and aging (we will give you more details later) make it a very interesting, harmonious, frank, creamy and persistent wine. Yes, a wine can be all this and much more! The character of our Manuela has come very far and since her first vintage, in 1990, she has not stopped gaining true fans! It has also given us many joys, it has recently been decorated by the Acadèmia Tastavins and the DO Penedès, a distinction that comes at the best moment of this wine. Do you want to know more curiosities about the Manuela de Naveran wine?
1. The vineyard
The vineyard is where everything begins, it is where we obtain the raw material that will give rise to this very original wine. It was planted in 1985, therefore, we are fortunate to enjoy the favors of an aged vineyard, which you already know plays in favor of the quality and personality of the wine. The vineyard from which we obtain Manuela de Naveran wine has always been cared for by the same farmer, Jaumet Bricollé, who is quite a crack! He gives the earth all the necessary attention, respecting its rhythms. In addition, the vineyard is always clean and tidy. Like a garden!
2. Awards
Our Manuela de Naveran wine is an award-winning wine! The prestigious Peñín Guide, a benchmark distinction for measuring the quality of wines, awarded it a score of 90 points (with 100 being the maximum score).
In addition, the Manuela de Naveran 2020 wine has received an award very recently! Last May, it wonthe gold medal for the best white wine from the DO Penedès during the awards ceremony of the 55th Tastavins Competition of the DO Penedès. The Tastavins Penedès awards gala awarded five different awards (three bronzes, one silver and one gold) for the various wines that were presented in each of the seven categories. In total, more than 150 bottles from almost fifty wineries were presented.
3. The barrels
For the elaboration of Manuela, the must is obtained after a gentle extraction of the grape, then the alcoholic fermentation, and partly malolactic, is carried out in oak barrels, with conservation on lees and finally, the aging, around six months, in contact with the wood of the oak barrels.
These oak barrels are first and second year, that is, they are relatively new. And we do it this way because in addition to obtaining the typical aromas of the wood, the young barrels also provide fruit aromas. Once these two years have passed, we will need new ones, but we continue to take advantage of those from Manuela: they will be destined for the house’s red wine, Don Pablo; since in the elaboration of this wine we do not look for so much fruit, rather a slight oxidation.
In addition,we use barrels of two types of oak: American and French. Those of French oak give us finer aromas and those of American, more identifiable aromas such as vanilla and coconut (which are also more commercial). At Naveran we seek the balance between softness and character, that is why we mix these two raw materials.
4. Fermentation
During the Manuela de Naveran winemaking process, we put the must directly into the oak barrels, instead of going through the stainless steel tanks first. Therefore, all fermentation is done in wood! To control the temperature during fermentation, we keep the boots in a refrigerated room especially for the fermentation of this wine.
5. The batonnage
Once the fermentation is over, the lees (the “dead” yeasts) are deposited in the lower part of the barrel. It is then that we use the batonnage technique, which It consists of introducing a stick to stir the lees, so that they mix with the wine that is in the upper part. And you may wonder, why should the lees be in contact with all the wine if the yeasts have already fermented? Well, without contact with the lees, the wine could oxidize. In addition, during aging, contact with the lees has more benefits: it provides the wine with stability, aromatic complexity, volume on the palate and unctuousness. Now you know the power of lees!
6. The label, a work of art nouveau
At Naveran we take care of every detail of our products, that is why when we created a wine as special as Manuela de Naveran, we wanted the label to be up to par; like wine, I could not leave indifferent! Surely its modernist label has caught your attention. Well, it is from a lithograph by a disciple of the Czech painter Alfons Mucha, a true reference to art nouveau.
7. Pairing
Manuela de Naveran is a balanced, warm, creamy, persistent and tasty wine. It is very nice and surprising. Remember, among others, aromas of vanilla, banana, peach, toast, butter … It can be consumed as a young wine; However, its production characteristics promise a very good evolution and conservation in the bottle. All this makes it a very versatile wine, which can accompany everything from appetizers to more complex meals.
The possibilities to pair Manuela de Naveran wine are endless, but if we have to choose one … We love to pair Manuela de Naveran with a good sole a la meunière!