It does not happen every year. Nor does it happen in every vineyard. But sometimes, nature offers such unique conditions that the vine responds in an extraordinary way.
It is in this small corner of the vineyard, in an almost magical place, that Les Mil i Una is born: Albet i Noya’s new naturally sweet wine. It is a limited edition of just over 1,000 bottles of 37.5 cl, crafted from a manual selection of overripe white and red grapes from the Can Milà de la Roca estate, in the Ordal Mountains.
Les Mil i Una is not just a sweet wine. It is the result of a very special phenomenon in viticulture: noble rot, also known as noble botrytis.
What is noble rot?
Botrytis is a fungus that can affect grapes under certain conditions of humidity and temperature. When it appears in an uncontrolled way, it can damage the fruit and cause problems in the vineyard. But when it occurs in just the right balance, it becomes what we know as noble rot. In this case, the fungus slightly dehydrates the grape and naturally concentrates its sugars, acidity and aromas. The result is much richer, more intense and more complex musts, capable of producing some of the world’s great sweet wines.
It is the same phenomenon behind legendary wines such as Sauternes, in Bordeaux, where noble botrytis is essential to the production of some of the world’s most internationally renowned sweet wines. It is a delicate, unpredictable and difficult-to-control phenomenon. That is why wines born from noble botrytis are so exceptional: they depend on the vineyard, the climate, the exact moment of harvest and a very precise selection.
In this type of wine, sweetness comes from the grape itself, not from the addition of alcohol. Unlike fortified wines, the fermentation of botrytis wines usually stops naturally before all the sugars are transformed into alcohol. This is why they retain sweetness, but with a more moderate alcohol content and a fresher sensation.
A berry-by-berry selection
Les Mil i Una is born from this patient work. Once the harvest was over, the overripe grapes touched by noble botrytis were selected by hand. We were not looking for a single variety or one specific vineyard, but for those grapes that, because of their ripeness and condition, could give rise to a truly singular wine.
The name is inspired by the idea of “one thousand and one”: many varieties, many small gestures and countless details coming together in a wine that will hardly ever be repeated in the same way.
The late harvest and slow, delicate pressing in a vertical press led to ageing in old 225-litre barrels and subsequent bottle ageing. All with one clear idea: to respect the exceptional nature of the grape and allow the wine to express itself with depth, balance and elegance.
A sweet wine with freshness
Les Mil i Una is a naturally sweet wine, but not a heavy one. On the nose, it shows aromas of candied citrus peel, honey, chamomile and dried fruit, with delicate spicy notes. On the palate it is unctuous and luscious, with good volume and lively acidity that balances the sweetness and lengthens the finish with freshness.
It is a wine to be enjoyed slowly. Ideal for contrasting pairings with blue cheeses, mature cheeses or foie gras, but also to close a meal with desserts, nuts or a good after-dinner conversation. A way of looking at the vineyard.
With Les Mil i Una, Albet i Noya once again highlights a way of understanding viticulture: observing, waiting and intervening only when nature opens up a truly unique possibility. As a pioneering organic winery since 1978, we work our vineyards with the utmost respect for the soil, biodiversity and territory. And sometimes, this relationship with the vineyard gives us wines that are not born from exact planning, but from an unrepeatable opportunity.
Les Mil i Una is now available in our online shop. A small jewel of noble botrytis born in Can Milà de la Roca.