2023 Ca’n Verdura “Supernova Negre”, Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain

ABOUT THIS WINE

Just 7,500 bottles were produced of Supernova Negre, Can Verduras premier red wine from the indigenous red Montonegro grape grown in cal vermell soils, consisting of red, iron-rich clay and limestone with small and medium-sized galets. The flagship Supernova red originates from the best plots of old-vine Montenegro from bush-trained vineyards planted in the 1950s in the surrounding villages of Binissalem, including the village of Santa Maria, which are considered the finest vineyards in the area. Grapes come from the Cas Pastor, Sa Bassa Blanca, and Pl de Buc plots, planted at 130 meters. This fragrant, Mediterranean red is medium-bodied, with notes of wild red berries, citrus, fresh herbs, and exotic spices, and the wine is made with low intervention and minimal sulfur at bottling. Production is necessarily very limited, as every bottle in this garage winery is sold each vintage.

Vinification After manual harvest in small boxes, alcoholic fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks at 24C. Maceration lasts 20 to 25 days, depending on the parcel. The wine then ages for ten months in a combination of 500L, 2000L, and 3000L French oak barrels.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Its fair to say that the new generation of wine producers on the Balearics largest island, Mallorca, is making an impact. Enter Tomeu Llabrs, working in self-described viticultura en miniatura, and his visionary work with the indigenous Montenegro grape at Can Verdura Viticultores. In 2012 he founded his micro-winery in a former auto garage at the center of the ancient village of Binissalem, located in the north-central portion of Mallorca. Through a steadfast focus on the Montenegro grape, Tomeu has demonstrated that this ancient variety has incredible potential, creating some of the Balearic regions most ground-breaking wines. In recent tastings, Montenegro has drawn flavor comparisons to another island grape native to Italy, Nerello Mascalese. Placing indigenous grapes in context can be tricky. Still, there certainly seems to be a similar renaissance of native varieties in Mallorca, and one can draw comparisons to whats occurring in Sicily.

Tomeu Llabrs is a viticultor, practicing minimal intervention winemaking and low impact viticulture by leaving the cover crop during the cold season and encouraging biodiversity within his parcels and environment through polyculture. His wines are handmade, without additions, subtractions, or corrections. His primary objective with each cuve is maximum respect and transparency for his terroir and culture, as well as for the customers who enjoy his wine.