Bodegas Pinoso, Airen & Macabeo "Zillamina" Alicante DO, Spain 2023

51% Airen, 49% Macabeo

Zillamina Spanish White Wine is a brilliant, pale-straw color with aromas of apple and citrus fruits on the nose. Refreshing, lively, and fruity with a clean lip-smackingly citrusy finish. Ideally suited to vegetable rice, white fish, white meat, or lovely by itself.

The grapes for this light, fresh white come from a certified organic vineyard on limestone soil. After a soft crushing, a maceration at a low temperature is carried out to enhance the aromas of each grape variety. The free-run juice (locally called “flor”) then ferments for up to 30 days, in tanks at a low temperature. The wine is bottled after light (vegan-certified) fining and filtration, with a small addition of sulfur.

Bodegas Pinoso is a Spanish cooperative born in 1932 that gradually became one of the pioneers of organic viticulture in the region, converting more and more of their growers to certified organic since 1997. Today, with more than 600 hectares under certification, they are one of the main producers of organic and vegan-certified wine on a national level.

The Pinoso vines grow at a relatively high altitude (600m above sea level) in the hot and dry continental climate influenced by the closeness of the Mediterranean Sea, which is great for fostering respectful vine growing. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and the poor, well-drained limestone soil is fertilized only with organic manure from a local cattle farm.