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Origin:
Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Grape:
60% Callet, 20% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot
ABV:
12%
Producer Profile
4Kilos was set up in 2006 by former Anima Negra winemaker Francesc Grimalt (known for his efforts in rescuing the local Callet grape) and musician Sergio Caballero (who is also founding partner and director of the Sonar music festival). 4Kilos’ first vintage was vinified in a milk refrigeration unit. Today they use grapes from north and south of Mallorca - some international varieties as well as local ones such as Mantonegro and Fogoneu - and vinify them in a converted sheep farm, using a combination of stainless steel and open top oak fermenters. They are committed not only to native varieties, but also to finding the right combination of strain, soil, and climate for each wine. The name 4Kilos comes from their initial investment of 4 million pesetas, which so far looks like money well spent.
Grape Profile
Callet is dark-skinned wine grape variety grown on the island of Mallorca (Majorca), in the Balearic Islands off Spain's Mediterranean coast. It is most commonly used in the production of rosé, where it is traditionally blended with the other indigenous varieties Fogoneu and Manto Negro. In more recent times, Callet has been used to make light-bodied red wines that may be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo or Syrah. In the vineyard, Callet is a relatively late-ripening variety. It retains acidity whilst achieving phenolic ripeness, a boon in warmer Mediterranean climates. Although Callet is deeply colored, it tends to be quite low in alcohol. Varietal Callet wines have soft tannins and sweet raspberry flavors, though they remain uncommon. A majority of Callet wine is consumed locally, rarely is it exported outside of Mallorca.
Region Profile
Winegrowing in Mallorca dates back to approximately 123 BC, when the island became part of the Roman Empire. In the 1st Century AD, the philosopher Pliny the Elder is said to have written about the island's wines, likening them to Italy's finest. Unsurprisingly, given its location, the climate in Binissalem-Mallorca is definitively Mediterranean, with long hot summers and short mild winters. The Serra de Tramuntana and Serra de Alfabia mountain ranges contribute to the warm conditions by acting as a barrier to cold winds coming in from the north. The region sits on a plateau of hills in the so-called highlands, which are just 250 to 300 meters (820–990 feet) above sea level. The majority of the vineyards here are on gently rolling slopes made up of lime-rich soils, which are preferable for their ability to hold moisture. This is essential for the grapes during the scorching summers, which are the biggest challenge for grape production in the area.
Viticulture
Rational production with minlmal Intervention.
Native vegetable coverage to boost microbldogy of soll and water competence In
autumn.
Vinification
Manual selection of the grape. Macerated and
fermented In stalnless steel vats. Fermentation and maceration temperature
Initlally at 20°C leaving It to ralse the final phase of the process to a temperature no greater than 289C. Maceration took place for approxImately 20 days. Aged 9 months in barrel