Andorra: not only shopping and skiing
From Spain, the perception of Andorra is similar to that of Alaska by Americans: it is cold, mountainous and somewhat inhospitable. The image of a shopping paradise is also missing due to its non-existent VAT. That is, what For some, the country of the Pyrenees is only climbed to ski, to get a shipment of tobacco, perfumes and alcohol and to ski. . Andorra has also taken advantage of the stereotype by exploiting the winter resorts, shopping centers and tobacco plantations ad nauseam. But with the new millennium came ingenious ideas to take advantage of its impressive nature, within the limitations of a country whose minimum elevation is 804 meters above sea level.
What has been done to date by the winery Borda Sabate it could be described as madness and miracle. Ten years ago, its owners decided to create terraces at an altitude of more than 1,200 meters to plant vines. Historically, some Andorran nobles and bourgeoisie had had their own little cellar at home, but their wine was never commercialized. The dream was clear: to create, cultivate, research, produce and market the first Andorran wine . It is true that it sounded like utopia, but behind it there was money, good planning and, above all, love for wine and this land. No board of directors or foreign investment group in their right mind would have thought of investing in this project from the start. It was not economically logical and the results were not guaranteed. It was as if they wanted to grow beets on large estates in Lapland. But it is already a reality and discovering it is exciting and very enriching.
This Gastro Rally starts at Hotel Sol Park in Sant Julià de Lòria , the southernmost municipality of Andorra. The most logical thing to do when entering your car park is to think: “I have been deceived, on these slopes there are nothing but cows and forests”. But the promise begins to be real once you get into the jeep as you leave the town behind and access the private lands of this family. In front of the old mansion, they explain to the eno-adventurer that they had always been dedicated to tobacco and livestock, showing the plant dryers and the stables where the animals spend the winter, before going up to the mountain pastures in summer. On an impossible path, you begin to climb and climb, to overcome very serious unevenness percentages and to develop an unshakable faith in the four-wheel drive of 4x4s. Until you reach the winery building, located in a less abrupt terrain in full sunshine of the Muxella , name given to this mountain cutting. It is time to go down, touch the vines (Yes! they are real and alive) and start paying attention to the explanations that put the most suspicious and skeptical minds in order.
Borda Sabaté: a miracle from above
The most normal thing is to have in mind the preconceived idea of a huge cellar, full of stacked barrels and warehouses where the bottled wine is kept. First topic that is eliminated here. The building is no bigger than a small barn and does not have the aged charm of its Spanish counterparts. But its short journey explains the secrets of Escol, the name given to its white monovarietal and so far its only great creation . The first key is the Riesling grape, of Central European origin and which usually has good resistance to cold. Despite this, it is not a variety that is very accustomed to altitude, so its choice was still a bet that turned out well in the end. The second, the slate land on which it is grown. The third, the great work of the prestigious French winemaker Alain Graillot who, in addition to having spent 7 years doing tests until he hit the key (see 2009 vintage), made the decision that it be an organically grown wine. Here the harvest is manual, caressing each vine with the fingers, the last condition that is required to receive this denomination.
The end of the walk through this charming winery has a reward, the tasting of the jewel in the crown. You don't have to have an exquisite palate or sense of smell to discover that it is a very special and original white wine . So much so that it reaches pair even with the reddest meat of the place . It may be that a reputation has been created in the visitor throughout the visit that makes trying it an irrepressible desire and that the judgment is not objective. But it doesn't matter, the prize is a real joy that in stores has a price of about 50 euros per bottle. The name with which it intends to make itself known internationally It cannot fit better with the Andorran idiosyncrasy: high altitude wine.
In addition, the landscape will always remain. The terraces serve as viewpoints from where the valley is discovered and the small towns that settle in the steep massifs. photo is required , since finding strains in such an environment is somewhat unusual. Attached to the winery, a restaurant has been built that opens only when the visit demands it. Built in the image and likeness of the old huts (shelter for shepherds and flocks), it retains the artisanal essence of the entire project, which makes it ideal for stopping at noon to eat and verify that, indeed, the Escol pairs with all kinds of flavors and textures. In addition, it is a perfect excuse to later take advantage of the afternoon strolling among the vines.
The descent by the paved road that reaches fountain give one last revealing look. From a distance it returns again to the impressive reality, it comes out of science fiction. Before the eyes of the visitor is shown in all its splendor the Muxella , with its vines, its smaller winery and its restaurant. The fragility of the whole is appreciated, reinforcing the admiration for a project that has become a reality thanks to good work and passion.