Notes
Tremenda is an organic red wine from the Terra Alta D.O. in Catalunya, province of Tarragona. Made up of 100% Cariñena (Carinyena or Samsó in Catalan).
Tremenda's grapes come from a single vineyard, La Setena, about 50 years old, organically cultivated using biodynamic practices.
Tremenda, bottled on the eighth of March 2016 (during a waning moon), is a serious Mediterranean wine, in a way similar to the aromas and textures of the wines from Priorat and Montsant. Earthy, with herbaceous aromas and a very strong character with toasted notes, with soft tannings but powerful and well structured, and very good acidity, which gives it good ageing capabilities.
"Tremenda" in Spanish means terrific, formidable, tremendous.
When Josep and Joan first made this wine, after its tasting they said "this is a tremendous wine!", which they decided was the perfect name for it.
Facts
Annual Production: 2,400 bottles (The club has access to 130 annually)
Type: Tinto (Red)
Body: Full
Palate: Dry
Finish: Long and warm
Grape Variety: 100% Samsó (Carinyena)
Viticulture / Farming: Organic - Biodynamic, Terroir Driven
ABV %: 15.0
Ageing: Fermentation in 4,000-litre French oak foudres, and ageing for 12 months in 225-litre French oak barrels. Then in the bottle since March 2016
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: 400 meters above sea level (Vineyard La Setena)
Age of Vines: 50 years old
Soil: Calcareous & sandy
Viticulture / Farming: Organic/biodynamic - Terroir Driven
Tips
- Drink now or keep for up to 3 more years
- Decanting is recommended
- 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. Tremenda's grapes come from a single plot; La Setena, located near the town of Villalba dels Arcs. The vines are over 50 years old, grown on sandy-calcareous and clay soils. El Cierzo, a dry wind which originates in the Ebro River Valley just to the West, plays a vital role in moderating temperatures during the growing season. Vins del Tros 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. Tremenda undergoes fermentation with its own, natural yeasts in large, 4000-litre French-oak foudres, including malolactic fermentation, then ageing for prolonged process of 12 months in 225-litre French-oak used barrels, before bottling. 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
92 Points - Robert Parker (Luis Gutierrez)
