Artesano Vintners - Xerinola 2023

Mike Shepherd has been in the world of winemaking since 2009, working in vineyards across Spain, France and his native Aotearoa (New Zealand) where he met Alex Craighead of Kindeli Wines. The pair founded Artesano Vintners in 2015 in Catalunya, starting out by renting shared winemaking spaces like Viver de Celleristes. As of 2023, they've been based in Vila-seca, just south of Tarragona. Their wines seek to reflect the diverse terroir of the region, capturing a mosaic of soil-types and showing pure expressions of native grape varietals. Xerinola 2023 is made up of 40% Macabeu, 35% Parellada and 25% Xarel.lo from sandy, limestone and clay soils. Each grape is vinified separately before blending and ageing together in stainless steel. The Macabeu undergoes skin-maceration for one week; Xarel.lo is direct-pressed and fermented in used French oak barrels before ageing for eight months in 1600L Dolmio (Tinaja amphora); and the Parellada spends five days on the skins and is also aged for eight months in Dolmio. The Xarel.lo adds a familiar smokiness to this rich orange. Initial flavours of golden apple juice, yellow raisins and buttermilk open into fresh orange peel and rose with a bright acidity. Xerinola 2023 would pair well with mussels in saffron and white wine sauce.