Castel Pujol Folklore Blanco

Francisco Carrau is renowned for his research and work into wine fermentations and, in particular, unravelling the ideal fermentation conditions for Tannat. Having worked in his family’s winery since he was a teenager, he has grown up in the wine industry steadily amassing great knowledge and experience to become one of Uruguay’s most esteemed winemakers today. Possessor of a PhD in chemistry, Francisco spent decades researching soils, planting new vines, and spearheading the cultivation of native yeasts in Uruguay to express their true terroir. Francisco’s daughter, Pia, is the force behind the Folklore line with minimal intervention, sustainability and low energy being key components of their production, not to mention a specially designed gravity-flow winery (built into a hillside to utilise Newton’s favourite force to its full advantage), the command centre of which resembles a set straight from the Death Star. Bodega Cerro Chapeu is located in the Rivera district in the north of Uruguay and is characterised by vineyards on slopes and hillsides with deep red sandy soils and decomposed sandstone, with low organic content and offering excellent drainage. It has a continental climate with long hours of sunshine and dry seasons. So Folklore Blanco is a blend of 70/30 Trebbiano/Malvasia from vineyards 250m above sea level. The grapes are hand-picked, destemmed and pressed separately. Fermentation with native yeasts occurs over 6 months in stainless steel tanks with lees contact, prior to unfiltered bottling to keep manipulation to a minimum and preserve freshness. We’ve got you if you’re a tropical, peachy, floral type. But you have to embrace a mineral glint, a grapefruit tang and a firm acidic vein. Imagine a bruised yellow apple on toast tossed somewhere in the mix. And for those wondering, the label is a local bird called a Seriema; highly carnivorous and can grow up to 3 feet tall. Perhaps like a more aggressive Roadrunner. Perhaps.