Ninja de las Uvas Blanco

“After a few trials, I dared to try a beautiful Macabeo from this southern land. This is a place with a history of white wines to rediscover. This is not a tradition that holds us back, it’s the opposite: it has vanished, with no examples in the area and no one to ask. By trial and error and with very few resources, we need to rediscover it and rediscover those who made white varieties shine in the south.”

With this statement of intent on her Instagram page, Julia Casado, better known as Julia La del Terreno, ventures into this new mission of making macerated white wines in Murcia, in the D.O. Bulla. Her latest challenge: Ninja de las Uvas Blanco 2020 single-variety Macabeo.

Her love for tradition is the basis of all her work. The vineyards are over 20 years old, planted on red clays with some calcareous gravels. No agrochemicals are used and the characteristics of each terroir speak for themselves. For Julia Casado, it is very important to take into account the altitude, orientation, type of soil and the shape and age of the vines. These are characteristics that will inevitably be reflected later in her work at the La del Terreno winery. Her winery facilities, designed herself using a shipping container, are totally sustainable in terms of energy and are integrated into nature.

Following a manual harvest, the Macabeo grapes are taken to this winery, which makes use of every inch, and destemmed. There is then a 10-day maceration and fermentation with native yeasts (in stainless steel tanks), which are the real secret of Ninja de las Uvas Blanco 2020. The 9 month barrel aging (with fine lees) and bottling without filtering or adding sulphites are the final touch.

“I feel free to make mistakes, but this baby smiles at me and looks happy. Go on, little Ninja brisado.”