The Pouya Estate
- Pouya is a woman-owned, woman-operated boutique production founded and run by Fernanda Parra.
- Fernanda is a Baja native who received her M.S. in enology, ampelology and viticulture after attending university in Montpellier, France. She started her wine career working at the lab at Tenuta Rapitala in Sicily and then worked as a cellar intern at Domaine La Criox Montjoie in Burgundy. Eventually she returned to Mexico work with Camillo Magoni as assistant winemaker at the Magoni Estate. Pouya is her personal project, and it reflects the culmination of years of training and hard work combined with the desire to participate in the expression of her heritage and love for Baja's terroir. The name Pouya is an homage to her great grandfather, a French scientist that fell in love with Baja.
- Pouya makes natural wines with no additions or corrections. They do not undergo filtration or stabilization. Only minimum sulfites are added at bottling - 30 ppm.
- Fernanda sources her grapes mainly from two old vine vineyard sites in Valle de Guadalupe, but she makes one-off wines from a number of additional small wineries. All are organically farmed and harvested by hand. Her two main grape sources are:
Bibayoff Estate - Planted in the 1950s by descendants of the Russian immigrants that were some of the first to establish vineyards in this region, these represent some of Valle's best Chenin Blanc plantings. One of the most emblematic vineyards of the region, the Bibayoff property lies at 1,100 ft, has soil composed to sand mixed with granite and clay marl, and is organically farmed. Perched on the valley’s northern wall, it has great access to water and contains some of the oldest vines in the region, many of which are dry farmed.
Olegario Sandoval Vineyards - Planted in the 1950s approximately 15 miles from the Pacific. The vines are old and gnarled in this dry farmed site that has the sandy soils that grows grapes with very little pigment in the skins. From this site Fernanda makes Grenache three ways: Methode Champenoise Sparkling, Rosé and Red (Tinto), to illustrate the diversity of potential of the grapes from this ancient vineyard.
Total Production: 800 cases, 6 - 8 wines (additional small batch wines made in some vintages)
2021 Tinto - Pouya
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
An exceedingly light ruby colored wine whose profundity is not revealed in its depth of color, this beautiful creation is a stunning revelation for those who imagine intensity comes with depth of color extraction. Notes of black cherry, roses, and a subtle touch of leather on the nose, bright balanced red fruits and taught acidity in the mouth. Long finish with rounded tannins.
Drinking window - Upon release - 4 years
67 cases made!
Vintage:
2021
Blend:
100% Grenache
Producer:
Pouya
Winemaker:
Fernanda Parra - Mexican, lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe - Olegario Sandoval vineyard planted in 1969. Site is dry farmed organically and composed very sandy soils. Elevation is 1,100 ft, approximatly 15 miles from the Pacific.
Aging:
Grapes were harvested by hand early to maintain good acidity, then vinified in method “Vinification Integrale” where the pressed juice was fermented with the skins and seeds in 500L second use French Oak barrels at low temperatures for a period of 3 weeks. Once fermentation was complete the wine was pressed and returned to the same barrel and aged for an additional 7 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Sulfites: 50 ppm
Alcohol:
12.7%
Farming:
Organic, Sustainable
