Morvedra, heroic viticulture

Miriam Triay / Photos Morvedra - Although many people recognize the name Morvedra for its olive oil, under the same brand and name we also find the white wine from the estate of Sant Josep, located in Ferreries. It is, however, a somewhat hidden product, as it has not yet been released for public sale and is currently supplied only to restaurants.

The face, the hands and the thinking mind behind this project come together in Enric Picanyol, the driving force who has pursued a dream and an aspiration, shared as well by the production manager, Josep (“Pito”) Barber. “I started by researching how to produce oil in the enclosed fields of Morvedra Vell, owned by my family. This research took me beyond the island, as there is little culture and tradition here. On a trip to Priorat, seeing and discovering the soil varieties there, I realized that the land of another family estate, Sant Josep, was ideal for winemaking.”

That was the moment when the idea clicked. “It was worth trying to make wine at Sant Josep. At least to see if it worked. As a completely innovative project.”

Eight years have now passed since that decision. Nearly a decade during which Picanyol contacted experts, agronomists and oenologists who could guide and advise him on the best way to work his land and turn it into a vineyard. “I needed guidance. I didn’t want to embark on a project without understanding its most essential elements.”

The Sant Josep estate, however, is located on coastal terrain and is therefore difficult to access. “Dry-farmed vineyards are said to be the best way to create good wines, but of course, choosing to work this way, given the layout of our land, has meant that eight years have passed and we still have a very small production.”

The Morvedra project has thus committed to viticulture. In this case, it has focused on white wines, since, as the owner explains, “near the coast, whites have generally always been produced, due to the gentler gradient found in Menorca.” They have planted prensal, a typical variety of the Balearic Islands, and malvasia. According to Picanyol, “prensal is more subtle, while malvasia has a bit more sparkle. Both are coastal varieties.” This first wine line is called Mirant Pregonda and was launched last year.

They also present a second wine line, called Calop Blanc, which is not yet available to the public and is currently for private consumption, as it is relatively new. “The second line arises from a project I carried out based on a vine that has always grown on the porch of the estate. One that produces a small grape, which I had analysed. After discovering that it was one of the ancestral varieties of Menorca and Mallorca, I decided to invest in it. First, by preparing the documentation to include it in the list of authorized winemaking varieties. Then, by creating a vineyard with grafts from the porch vine —and its descendants—. But of course, it is a slow process, and we are still tasting it.”

Looking further into this variety, Picanyol refers us to the Alcover-Moll dictionary, which defines calop as “a type of large, very tasty grape, considered the finest.” Its etymology is described as “unknown, but probably pre-Roman; according to J. Hubschmid, it belongs to a non-Indo-European language, with a parallel found in the Sardinian galoppu, ‘a variety of white grape’.”

After almost a decade, Morvedra is beginning to see the results of its wine adventure, one which its owner defines as “heroic viticulture”. And which, as he himself admits, “has been delayed by my tendency toward challenges and complexity. Toward research and exploration, and toward quality.” A small project, a great challenge, which is slowly taking shape and will continue to evolve over time. Everything remains to be seen and discovered at the Sant Josep estate.

MORVEDRA VELL SRM
Sant Josep Estate
07750 Ferreries
Contact phone: +34 607 721 128
Reservations: info@morvedra.com
www.morvedra.com