Sel D'Aiz

Yenda

$58.90 CAD/btl $176.70 CAD/case $203.70 CAD/case Retail

5 pieces in stock

Notes

This bright and lively fruit forward Albariño-Godello comes from the lush green mountains of Cantabria, some 50km from the northern coast of Spain, sandwiched between Asturias to the West and Basque country to the East. 

Yenda is clean but very expressive, fresh, intense and vibrant with notes of peach, pineapple, pear, and hints of crisp citrics. This is all rounded out by a subtle and graceful floral background with touches of aniseed that tie it all together. Goes well with fish, seafood, desserts and cured cheeses. An incredible low-intervention wine from an idyllic mountain landscape, so idyllic we almost couldn't leave.

Sel D’Aiz is a small family run winery started in 2009 by Asier and Miriam. They do absolutely everything by hand and their passion for winemaking is inspiring. Their goal is to show that high quality artisanal wines with plenty of character can be produced in the fertile mountains of Cantabria, and they haven’t disappointed, making some of the most popular wines of the region with plenty of acidity, zing, and complexity to boot. You could say they’ve bottled the freshness of Spain’s green northern coast.

Facts

Annual Production: 4300 bottles (The club has access to 80 annually)
Type:
Blanco (white wine)
Body:  
Light
Palate: 
Dry
Finish:  
fresh and balanced
Grape Variety:
 80% Albariño, 20% Godello
Viticulture / Farming: Sustainable. Heroic viticulture
ABV%: 12%
Ageing: aged with lees, manual batonnage
Winemaker: Asier Alonso Olano
Bodega: Sel D'Aiz
Region: Castillo Pedroso, Cantabria
Designation of Origin (DOQ): IGP Vino de la Tierra Costa de Cantabria
Micro-Climate: In Castillo Pedroso, Cantabria, the summers are short, mild, and humid though the moisture is mitigated by the mountain winds; average summer temperatures are between 15ºC-29ºC.  The winters are cool and cloudy; ranging from 2ºC - 12ºC.
Elevation: 450-600 meters above sea level
Age of Vines: 10 years-old, El Habrés (Castillo Pedroso)
Soil: shallow clay-loam and silty limestone, rich in organic matter

Tips

  • Drink now or keep for 2 to 5 years
  • No need to decant, simply open just before consuming
  • Pairs well with any fish and seafood dishes, Italian pasta dishes, sushi and sashimi and other Japanese dishes, Manchego cheese (any goat and sheep milk cheeses), white and poultry meat, Jamón Ibérico, paella and other rice dishes
  • Ideally served chilled between 8º-9ºC

Terroir

Cantabria, a region situated on Spain's northern coast, finds itself wedged between the imposing Cantabrian Mountains and the Bay of Biscay. This lush and mountainous area, affectionately known as "España Verde" or 'Green Spain,' shares borders with Asturias to the west and the Basque Country to the east.

Historically, viticulture hasn't held a prominent role here due to the region's exceptionally fertile soil and its prevailing damp and blustery climate, more suitable for food crops. Consequently, the wines produced in Cantabria tend to be crisp, low in alcohol, and high in acidity; this makes them exceptionally gastronomic and perfect for pairing with food.

Cantabria has two official Vino de la Tierra (VT) designations: Liebana VT and Costa de Cantabria VT. Sel D’Aiz is located within the Costa de Cantabria VT.

The region cultivates a diverse array of local and international grape varieties, including Hondarrabi Zuri and its dark-skinned variant, Hondarrabi Belza. Other noteworthy varieties include Picapoll, Albarin Tinto (also known as Alfrocheiro Preto), Albariño, Godello, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

The Cantabrian landscape is characterized by its diversity, ranging from pristine white beaches to lush green hills and towering snow-capped mountains. Notably, two major mountain ranges, the formidable Cordillera Cantábrica in the south and the rugged Picos de Europa in the west, shape the region's geography. It's believed that the name "Cantabria" stems from the Celtic words "cant" (stone) and "abr" (region), signifying "people of the rocks."

The vineyards of Sel D’Aiz are situated on a mountain-side just south of the village of Castillo Pedroso. The vineyards face South-East towards the Sierra del Escudo.Costa de Cantabria, as its name implies, stretches along the coastal areas of the region.

Beyond its verdant landscapes, Cantabria boasts a rich cultural heritage, notably featuring cave paintings. The region holds the world's highest concentration of Paleolithic-era paintings, collectively designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cantabria, along with neighboring Asturias, is also renowned for its world-class Sidra (cider) and orujo, a brandy-like spirit distilled from grape marc (the grape solids that remain after pressing).

Vinification & Ageing

The grape bunches are hand harvested and selected in the vineyard before being transported in 15kg crates to the winery. The grapes are de-stemmed and undergo cold pre-maceration and pressing in a low pressure pneumatic press. They undergo chilled maceration for 36 hours before natural alcoholic fermentation occurs, temperature controlled in stainless steel tanks without any additives of any sort. The wine is subsequently aged on its lees, with manual battonage. No tartaric stabilization, no clarification, only light filtration and minimal sulphur added before bottling.

Winemaker

 

More info coming soon

Ratings

90 points Guía Peñín

 

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