Enate Chardonnay Fermentado en Barrica

Enate and art, they almost rhyme which is, perhaps, no coincidence, come together at a lofty point: the desire to create. When it began in 1992, the winery decided that the pairing of winemaking and contemporary culture would be an essential feature of its character. It was a tricky challenge from a business point of view as well as from an artistic perspective, but it was an undisputed triumph and was copied by others. The concept was a winner: the excellence of an idea is obvious once someone, in this case Enate, has been brave enough to work it out.

It was, in fact, a desire to create. In the same way as a winery is unthinkable without wine, Enate accepted art as the very essence of its identity. The two concepts begin together and mutually enrich one another. Human beings are, essentially, creators of one kind or another and we naturally love the pleasures of life. In 1992, Enate made a formal commitment to pairing the two concepts, contrasting the almost mathematical expertise of a winemaker with the unpredictability of artists inspired by winemaking. Today, Enate is both a winery and a museum. It is both a wine shop and an art gallery and its character has been formed in the excellence of both. Its barrels and walls sum up the great wines of Spain, inhabited by the genius of the great Spanish and international creators.

Production

Somontano, Chardonnay and oak barrels – the magical ingredients of a perfect formula. With its origins in Burgundy and now used around the world, the Chardonnay grape variety does have a tendency to become sweet and compote-like in areas it finds too warm, but it feels perfectly at home in the small DO Somontano appellation. Its wines also offer more than enough character and complexity to elegantly flourish with an ageing process in oak barrels as long as yields are limited. This barrel-fermented Enate Chardonnay is a perfect example. 

Tasting Notes

This is a lush and complex wine, a true Chardonnay, with aromas of hazelnuts, toast and fine hints of smoke blending in with fruits such as pineapple, grapefruit and apples. It has a medium level of density in the mouth with fatty, creamy and waxy sensations alongside a fresh acidity. It delights with an expressive breadth and length thanks to its enviable balance. A lingering and enveloping finish, embellished with nuts, lactic notes, and roasted sesame and sunflower seeds. Thanks to a splendid structure and richness, it improves over the years, gaining in unctuosity and flavours of herbs and sweet spices.