2018 CURII UNA NOCHE Y UN DIA, GIRO GARNACHA, ALICANTE SPAIN (NATURAL WINE)

Curii Uvas y Vinos is the name of the personal project of Violeta Gutiérrez de la Vega and her partner Alberto Redrado, sommelier from the highly regarded l'Escaleta restaurant in Cocentaina (Alicante). The wines are fermented and aged in the Gutiérrez de la Vega family’s cellar in Parcent and like the family wines, they are bottled without D.O. Alicante designation, even though the grapes are grown within the limits of the appellation. They work small vineyard plots, with a total of 1.2 hectares in six different parcels, producing some 2,000 bottles per year for now. The couple aims to rescue and restore old parcels in their native region and make wines with minimal intervention – true Mediterranean wines with rich, meditative fruit, lifted aromatics, and drinkability. The province of Alicante is known mainly for Monastrell and Moscatel, but Curii is focused on the local clone of Garnacha called Giró, along with obscure white grapes Trepadell and Merseguera. Here in Xaló (Jalón) about 5 miles from the Mediterranean Sea in southeastern Spain, Violeta and Alberto are championing their local Giró vines to produce a red wine of finesse, structure and complexity. Una Noche y Un Día is 100% Giró harvested by hand, partially de-stemmed and foottrodden in open vats. Fermentation is with native yeast and short, daily pump-overs and the juice stays on the skins until alcoholic fermentation has completed. The wine is then racked to tank without pressing and raised 6 months on fine lees, and bottled with a light filtration and small addition of SO2. It is a fresh and vibrant vino tinto, true to its Mediterranean roots, with soil-driven and uplifted aromatics of citrus flowers, scrub brush, anise, blue and red fruits; the palate is medium-bodied and elegant in structure with a chalky sensation, spice, and aromatic fruit in the finish. Serve cool and perfect to pair with the local Paellas of the region, pasta with tomato sauce and herbs, stewed meats, and dishes with saffron. 3,500 bottles produced.