Notes
Ay de Mi is an organic red wine from the Terra Alta D.O. in Catalunya, province of Tarragona. Made up of 70% Garnacha and 30% Cariñena (Carinyena or Samsó in Catalan).
Ay de Mi is a funky Mediterranean wine. Savory & herbaceous with lots of strong character but smooth and easy drinking at the same time. “Ay de Mi” (Poor Me!, in English) is an expression that Josep and Joan had agreed in their childhood that if they were to make wines in the future one of their wines would have this name.
Facts
Annual Production: 11,300 bottles (The club has access to 900 annually)
Type: Tinto (Red)
Body: Medium
Palate: Dry
Finish: Long and warm
Grape Variety: 70% Garnacha Tinta and 30% Samsó (Carinyena)
Viticulture / Farming: Organic - Terroir Driven
ABV %: 14.5
Ageing: Fermentation and ageing for 14 months in French oak 4,000-litre foudre, then in the bottle since July, 7, 2017
Winemakers: Josep Arrufat & Joan Ramón Bada
Bodega: Vins del Tros
Region: Catalunya, Tarragona
Designation of Origin (DO): Terra Alta
Micro-Climate: A mix of Mediterranean & Continental (dry hot summers & cold winters)
Elevation: 440 meters above sea level (Vineyard La Bassa & La Valleta)
Age of Vines: 20-45 years old
Soil: Limestone & clay
Viticulture / Farming: Organic - Terroir Driven
Tips
- Drink now or keep for up to 3 years
- No decanting necessary, just uncork 15 minutes before serving
- Pairs with Tapas, Manchego or any cheese (cow, goat or sheep), Ibérico ham, Paté or any Spreads, Poultry, Pasta or Pizza, Legumes or Meat, typical Spanish dishes, all Mediterranean and Asian rice-based dishes spiced but not too hot.
- Ideal at 16/17 Celsius
Terroir
The Ancient Romans are thought to have introduced viticulture to the area, a Roman road connecting Zaragoza to Tortosa passed through the region. Ay de Mi’s grapes come from three plots; La Bassa, Valletta, and La Novena, located near the town of Villalba dels Arcs all within a 3km radius of each other. The vines are aged between 18 and 50 years, grown on sandy-clay soils. El Cierzo, a dry wind that originates in the Ebro River Valley just to the West, plays a vital role in moderating temperatures during the growing season. The vineyards are located in the valleys below the town of Villalba dels Arcs at elevations between 300-500 meters above sea level.
Vinification
The organically grown grapes are harvested by hand and transported in crates of 15 kilos to the cellar in order to ensure fermentation does not start prematurely. Ay de Mi undergoes a prolonged aging process of 14 months in large 4000 litre French foudres before resting 3 months in bottle. The use of high-capacity foudres ensures the wine’s character is not overshadowed by strong woody flavours. The absolute minimum level of sulphites are used before bottling.
Winemakers
The Vins del Tros project was initiated in 2009 by Josep Arrufat, vintner, and Joan Ramón Bada, oenologist and winemaker.
Josep and Joan Ramón have been friends since their childhood. They were born in Villalba dels Arcs, a beautiful, small municipality (established in the year 1224 by the Templars of Miravet) a medieval town located just southwest of the Ebro river, close to the estuary where it meets the Mediterranean sea.
The two friends are tied to their roots; passionate about the vineyards and the wine from their homeland, and for this reason, their vision is to produce wines that represent the distinctive characteristics of the Terra Alta region, and of each specific plot of land. This is why they named their project "Vins del Tros" (Wines from the plot, in English).
They are achieving their goal by naturally extracting the full potential from a variety of small local plots, vineyards (between 20 and 90 years old) of Garnacha Blanca, Garnacha Tinta - the two main local grape varieties - as well as old Carinyena plots (locally called Samsó), and a plot of the indigenous grape called Morenillo.
Ratings & Reviews
Gold medal at the International wine challenge Gilbert & Gaillard 2017
9.55/10 Points at the Guía de Vins de Catalunya 2019
