Lot presentation

IGP Côtes Catalanes Espurna Danjou Banessy (Domaine) 2018

The wine

The Espurna vineyard, meaning “spark” in Catalan, is planted on schistous marl and limestone soils. Poor and highly draining, these soils force the vines to dig their roots deep into the ground, drawing on the bedrock’s minerality and imparting the wine natural tension, verticality and salinity. The Cinsault grapes are harvested by hand at peak ripeness. The winemaking process is natural, with no sulphur added until bottling. Natural yeasts trigger the fermentation process and maceration is gentle, lasting three weeks in open vats. Ageing extends for around a year, preserving purity of fruit and finesse of texture.
Espurna displays a delightful bright ruby-red hue. The ethereal nose is expressive and pure, dominated by crunchy red fruit notes of fresh cherry and wild strawberry, lifted by a floral hint and a touch of white pepper. The first sip is fluid and juicy, with striking drinkability, yet supported by a saline mineral backbone and fine-grained tannins.