Ribas blanc 2023
VdT, Ribas, 750 ml
| Grape variety: | Prensal blanc, Giró ros |
| Producer: | Bodegas Ribas |
| Origin: | Spain / Mallorca |
Description
As fresh as a sea breeze! This lively white is a true Mallorcan. Why? It is made from the local Prensal variety. It also contains a secret ingredient: a small amount of Giró Ros. This almost extinct grape was revived in 1995 and gives the wine its structure. It smells of fresh pears and white flowers, with a hint of honey, and is super fresh and herbal-spicy on the palate. The acidity tickles the corners of the mouth. A wonderful accompaniment to young vegetables and summer salads, flan and quiches - and as a Mallorcan, of course, with fish.
Attributes
| Origin: | Spain / Mallorca |
| Grape variety: | Prensal blanc, Giró ros |
| Label: | Vegan, Certified organic or biodynamic wine |
| Ripening potential: | 1 to 3 years after harvest |
| Drinking temperature: | 10 to 12 °C |
| Food Pairing: | Apéro riche, Grilled fish, Vegetable flan, quiche |
| Volume: | 12.0 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
Bodegas Ribas
We could talk about our winery of the year, Bodega Ribas on Mallorca, all day long. But it's best to see and read for yourself! We sent wine journalist Britta Wiegelmann and cameraman Felix Groteloh to experience the winery and the family at first hand. Araceli and Javier Servera Ribas, the brother and sister team behind the wines, tell us how the oldest existing winery on the island survived phylloxera, why they love their local grape, the Mantonegro, so much and what the sea has to do with it all.
For 300 years, the Ribas winery in Consell, a village of 4000 people just a stone's throw from Palma, has been cultivating a real treasure: ancient indigenous grape varieties such as Mantonegro, Gargollassa, Callet, Prensal blanc and the rare Giró Ros. These grapes can only be found here – and who could offer them a better home than the oldest bodega still in existence on the island? Pedro Ribas planted the first vines in 1711, and today the vineyards cover 40 hectares at around 150 metres above sea level with sandy and calcareous, sometimes very stony soils that are cultivated organically.
Prensal blanc
Mallorcan fruit basket
With apple, pear, grapefruit, exotic fruits, almond and anise, the old Majorcan variety Prensal seduces with its aromatic abundance. However, it only has a little acidity. Consequently, it is usually blended with other grapes such as Moscatel, Chardonnay or Viognier, giving the wines freshness. These wines taste best when drank young. Prensal is usually written “Premsal” in Mallorca. Alternatively, it is also called Moll.
Mallorca
Mallorca: new premium wines from old varieties
The party island is showing an entirely different, more delightful side: every year, more premium wines are produced in Mallorca. While international varieties like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot yield excellent wines in Mallorca’s terroir, top winemakers increasingly use the best native varieties, such as Manto Negro, Callet and Prensal Blanc. The results are independent wines with Mediterranean charm and surprising freshness.
Spain
Spain – Variety and perfection
“Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember...,” begins Don Quixote's odyssey.
The most famous part is definitely when Don Quixote thinks windmills are his enemy and wants to fight them – until they nearly kill him. It’s possible there was a bit too much of the La Mancha wine at play. Spanish vines fight for their survival in rugged landscapes, battling fierce drought and rough soils. But they fight well.
