Mas Martinet Verge de Martinet 2023 [WA 92]

Wine Advocate 92 points.

"Before they called them rosé, the pink wines from the region were referred to as virgin ("verge" in the Catalan language), a wine from the fermentation of the juice extracted by foot treading the grapes (before presses existed!) and fermented without the skins, halfway between a rosé and a light red. The 2023 Verge de Martinet comes in at 14% alcohol. It has been produced since 2018, but they never released it, and the 2023 is the first year that sees the light. It has more or less color depending on the year; the 2023 is quite deep, darker than in 2024, but they don't care about the color. It's Garnacha and Cariñena (with part of Garnacha Gris), co-fermented and matured in a Stockinger foudre for five to seven months, and it's closer to a light red than a rosé. 1,200 bottles produced. It comes with a vintage-looking label in a clear bottle to see the color of the wine..."

WINERY NOTE:

Vi Verge is a wine that revives an ancient winemaking method: fermenting red grapes without maceration with the skins. Although it’s a traditional process, the result is an intense rosé with notable structure and character. The grapes are gently foot-trodden for a couple of hours in chestnut barrels before being pressed, which gives the must a remarkable depth of color and body. Fermentation takes place in 1,200-liter foudres and glass demijohns, where the wine is also aged for seven months.