Casa Balaguer El Carro de la Mata 2024

Casa Balaguer is the Alicante project run by Andres Carull and Marta Ribera of Vinessens, working the vineyards of Rafa Bernabe in the Comunidad Valenciana. El Carro de la Mata is a natural orange wine from the aromatic Moscatel grape, grown on the warm, limestone-influenced soils near the Mediterranean coast. The grapes are macerated on their skins, which draws out the grape's natural perfume and a light phenolic grip while the warm-climate fruit keeps the wine generous and open. After maceration the wine spends roughly four months ageing in stainless steel and barrel, a short elevage that protects the floral aromatics rather than burying them under oxidation. The result keeps Moscatel's signature character while gaining the texture and faint amber tint of skin contact. The colour is pale amber. The nose leads with white peach, orange peel and elderflower over white flowers and dried herbs. The palate is dry, fresh and lightly textured, the finish clean with a herbal edge. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees. It works as an aperitif and with lighter dishes, from roast chicken to white fish and fresh goat cheese.