Cullerot 2024

Celler del Roure works old vineyards on hillside plots in the Valencia interior, near Utiel-Requena, on soils low in organic matter that naturally limit vigour and keep yields modest. Cullerot is a field blend of local and international white grapes, chiefly Verdil, Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo and Malvasía. In the cellar the fruit is destemmed, then around eighty per cent is pneumatically pressed while the remainder macerates on its skins, drawing phenolic grip and a savoury, herbal depth from the grape skins. The wine then spends six months in clay amphorae, whose porous walls allow a slow, gentle oxygen exchange that builds texture and integrates the components without the flavour of oak. Farming is organic. The result is a fresh, aromatic Mediterranean white that balances weight with lift. It shows dried hay, fennel and yellow flowers, with green apple and pear beneath and a faint herbal bitterness on the close. The palate is textured and dry, the skin-contact fraction giving light grip and length. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees in a broad glass. It suits grilled fish and vegetable dishes.