Case of Sa Forana Blanco 2021 | Chardonnay & Premsal Blanc | Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca | $44.00 per bottle

Sa Forana Blanco 2021 | Small Batch Menorca

Producer: Cellers Solano (Sa Forana)
Region: Sant Climent, Maó, Menorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Classification: Vi de la Terra Illa de Menorca
Grape Variety: Chardonnay (majority, oldest vines on the estate) and Premsal Blanc (indigenous Balearic variety)
Viticulture: Hand-harvested, estate-grown, 3-hectare property

The Vibe This flies under the radar. Menorca has one geographic denomination, a handful of producers, and almost no international distribution. Sa Forana is the family winery of Cellers Solano, built around the Cugullonet Nou estate in Sant Climent — three hectares of vines on calcareous, stone-littered terrain in the southeast of the island. The first two hectares were planted in 2003; a further half hectare of Chardonnay and Premsal Blanc followed in 2012. The estate sells most of its 13,000 annual bottles locally or in Catalonia. Getting it in Ontario requires a specialist. That is the point of Cosecha.

The Taste Very mineral and salty — the stony, calcareous soils drive a salinity that Mediterranean whites from flatter, looser ground rarely achieve. The oldest Chardonnay vines on the estate provide concentration and depth; the Premsal Blanc — an indigenous Balearic variety known for its fresh citrus, green apple, subtle almonds, and good natural acidity — lifts the wine and keeps it from the heaviness Chardonnay can fall into in a warm Mediterranean climate. A short passage through new French oak adds unctuousness and aromatic complexity without dominating — a controlled temperature fermentation preserving the mineral freshness that makes this wine worth seeking out.

The Story Menorca is the minor to Mallorca's major. The eastern most territory of Spain in the Mediterranean. The stony soils of Cugullonet Nou are characteristic of southeast Menorca — calcareous terrain where the underlying rock sits close to the surface, forcing vine roots deep for both water and nutrients. The Solano brothers farm the estate with kestrels nesting in boxes across the vineyard to deter smaller birds from the grapes — an approach as practical as it is particular. Sa Forana is one of the few producers seriously exploring Premsal Blanc as a blending partner for Chardonnay on the island, using the indigenous variety not as a filler but as an architectural element — the variety that keeps the wine distinctly Menorcan despite the international grape at its core.

Best Enjoyed With Serve well chilled at 8–10°C. Grilled prawns, local Menorcan lobster, salt cod, creamy seafood pasta, or soft cheese. The saline mineral finish makes it one of the most seafood-compatible whites in the Cosecha portfolio.

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