I know, that’s quite a statement.
But it also comes from a remarkable region: the southernmost wine region on mainland Spain, in Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
This is where we find the famous Albariza soils: dazzling white, highly calcareous soils formed from ancient fossils, plankton and shells when this entire area was still under the sea. These unique soils were formed during the Oligocene period, between roughly 60 and 24 million years ago.
Millions of years ago, layers upon layers of sediment accumulated on the floor of this inland sea. The soils are therefore mainly composed of fossilised remains of diatoms (single-celled algae) and other tiny marine organisms. These algae were and still are vital to life on Earth, and are often referred to as the “architects” of our oceans.
Their cell walls are made of silica (just like glass!) and through photosynthesis they are estimated to produce between 20 and 50% of all oxygen on Earth, more than all rainforests combined. Moreover, all marine life depends directly or indirectly on these diatoms as a food source. Their importance can hardly be overstated.
Around 23 million years ago, during the Upper Oligocene, the sea retreated. The former seabed rose and formed the rolling white hills we know today as Albariza.
It’s hard not to be fascinated by the history and uniqueness of this region and its soils.
And that is exactly what happened to David Léclapart, one of Champagne’s greatest cult winemakers. From the very beginning he has worked biodynamically, with vineyards fully connected to nature.
Together with his local partner, Alejandro Muchada, they decided to make wines here that could fully express this Albariza terroir. This is a tiny project, producing barely 15,000 bottles per year across four different crus.
They work entirely biodynamically, just as in Champagne, and in our opinion they have succeeded in making the saltiest wines in Spain, and perhaps even in the world. Big words, I know, but sometimes you simply shouldn’t be afraid to say things as they are 😉!
Today I would like to introduce you to their top cru: “Lumière”.
Could there be a better name for a wine born from this pale, brilliantly white terroir? “The Light”. Here, you can literally see it…
The old Palomino vines are now over 60 years old and are planted in the renowned Miraflores Baja vineyard (La Platera).
This Lumière 2024 is
extremely delicate, beautifully refined and very low in alcohol. 2024 was the first year in nearly three years with real rainfall again. The result is a wonderfully balanced vintage with plenty of freshness and salinity.
We also still have a few magnums left, though these are from the 2023 vintage. And this wine has already received serious praise…
R. Parker: Lumière 2023: 95/100
"The 2023 Lumière is the top of the range, and it showcases the finesse and balance of their plot of old vines in La Platera in Miraflores Baja. It's planted with an old massal selection on tosca albariza soils. The grapes from the La Platera plot planted in 1960 were picked in mid-August with 12.5% alcohol, 1% more than in 2022, a 3.57 pH and 3.49 grams of acidity. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in used 225-liter French oak barrels (the barrels are from 2013; they bought them in 2017 and have used them ever since), then the wine was kept in tank with full lees for 11 months. It has a bright golden color, a very spicy nose, with a note of clove that is recurrent in many wines, dried flowers, tangerine peel and a salty twist. This wine is the sharpest expression even in a warmer and more concentrated year, a subtle and elegant wine. They don't like to harvest early; they want to pick the grapes at good maturity, to wait for the flavors and aromas to develop in the grapes. This is the more pungent expression of the grape. It was bottled unfiltered in July 2024. A total of 3,760 bottles and 200 magnums were produced."