As a business that works with small, more unique wineries and producers, we often get asked how we find these rare wines. The answer is simple – we attend professional trade fairs, hear about them through word of mouth, discover them on social media, and taste their wines.
One of our most exciting projects is Dunord Vitícola, founded by Joan Gutierrez. We stumbled upon his wines on Instagram when he began commercialising his first vintage. Since then, we have watched his Pollença based project grow and we are thrilled to be a part of it.
But let's start at the beginning. Joan Gutierrez is a young winemaker from Pollença who comes from a family of vine growers and so, he has always been passionate about this line of work. After studying winemaking on the mainland, he gained experience working in Argentina and Rioja as well as other areas before returning to his native Mallorca.
He now applies his knowledge, new techniques and passion to Dunord Vitícola, a winery with a bright future and strong family values.
One particular thing that sets Joan and his family's project apart from other wineries on the island is the distinctive soil where his vines are planted. In the north of Mallorca, there is a higher concentration of limestone and organic material, which affects how the vines behave and grow.
Joan and his team prefer to concentrate on a combination of local and international grape varieties. For example, Giró Ros, Gorgollassa and Escursac co-exist with Syrah and Malvasía. The combination of local and international grape varieties gives Joan's wines a distinct personality. He also plants more vines per hectare than other vineyards on the island. This strategy encourages the plants to compete for water and nutrients and aids deep root growth. Joan claims this technique produces fewer but higher quality grapes, translating into better quality wine.
Joan's wines are not only unique in the way that they're made but also in the names he gives them. Each label tells a story that has personal meaning to him. For example, the Curolla label features a vineyard with a recognisable mountain peak near Pollença, half a heart, half a brain, lunar stages, planets and a mysterious face that may or may not be his father.
However, the louder sound comes from within the bottle. Joan produces wines that speak for themselves:
· L'Insomní - For now, this is the only white wine Joan produces. It is a blend of Giró Ros and Malvasía that expresses balance, aroma and freshness in equal parts. It is a wine that brings seriousness to the table without taking itself too seriously. Everyone loves this wine for different reasons so it's no wonder it consistently remains one of our best-selling wines on the island.
· Selvatic - A red wine blend of Syrah and Monastrell that achieves a fresh harmony with a deep colour and silky mouth-feel. It's rich but not too oaky or heavy, making it a versatile wine to drink year-round.
· Curolla - A blend of the rustic, elegant Gorgollassa grape variety and 20% Syrah. This results in a surprise for everyone who tries it. The beautiful aromas and its medium body make it a wine worth savouring.
· Trabucat - Made from grapes harvested from a vineyard that was abandoned for 20 years. Joan decided to graft Escursac and Syrah to the old vines and produce just 350 bottles of this unique wine for his collection. For optimal enjoyment, this rare wine can either be decanted before serving or left to age for a few months in your wine rack.
Dunord Vitícola is steadily growing, and we love seeing this wonderful project flourish. We have no doubt that Joan's hard work will pay off, and you will all have the pleasure of savouring one of his bottles of wine under the Mallorcan sun. Salud!!