Mesquida Mora - Sòtil 2018
We drink a bottle of Sòtil 2018 from the winery Mesquida Mora in Mallorca.
Mallorca probably suffers quite a bit from the fact that in every head immediately the association Ballermann and party destination screams loudly when the island is mentioned somewhere. And this is accompanied by the inevitable thought of buckets of sangria with a bouquet of straws. But there is so much more to discover on the island. Viticulture has a long tradition there, but was almost lost in the wake of the phylloxera plague. It was not until 1991 that the first designation of origin was registered, followed by others in the years that followed. And also Mesquida Mora, the winery behind the wine this time, was founded only in 2012 by Barbara Mesquida. The Sòtil is made from the autochthonous grape variety Callet. The vines grow in the sites Els Ermassos and Es Pou de sa Carrera, two of the eight vineyards that the winery manages biodynamically. The wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and is aged in used barriques, amphorae and steel barrels.
The fruit is red and berry. More dark than light and with a hint of plum. This smells of wood and a bit of cinnamon and feels quite cool on the tongue. This is then joined by dipped strawberries as you drink it, which also make it to the nose after the first sip. Always exciting anyway, how the first sip can then change the smell again. This is somewhat soft and super fresh, but the tannin has power and does its thing on the tongue at the back. This just seems so cool and fresh that I wouldn’t have located this in the south at all.
Overnight, earthy notes come in. There’s something balsamic and further the wood. Everything has become much spicier overnight and also a bit warmer in the aroma. What didn’t taste like the south the day before, now brings a little bit of sunshine into the glass. Nevertheless, of course, the freshness of the acidity remains. Perhaps that is precisely the climate of the island that you can taste. Already warm, but also always the sea nearby. At least I like the idea that taste and origin just fit together nicely. And despite the sun and warmth, the wine was harvested early enough so that it comes to only about 12 percent alcohol. That’s guaranteed to help the freshness a good bit, too.
With more air, the tannin mellows and the strawberry comes out more clearly again. There’s a bit of custard, the spice, the balsamic vinegar and anyway, this is super complex. I have no experience with Callet or wines from the winery or Mallorca, but I think this should be pretty ready to drink as it is right now. If the wine were to get any mellower, then maybe in bit the tension would be lost, the draw and resistance that I like so much. As it is now, though, it’s great.