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)
2022 Bagnum - Pouya
Tasting Notes and Drinking Window:
There is as much to say about this wine as there is about the vessel that contains it. Those who still hold the bias that good wine does not come in bags have met their match.
An absolutely seamless wine with a vivacious nose of dark cherries and spice, and a smooth yet lively balance on the palate, this is a wine truly intended to change the narrative on the use of bags as a suitable vessel for great wine.
What started off as a solution to a bottle shortage, has become a passion for winemaker/owner Fernanda Parra who sites the drastically smaller footprint of bags compared to glass and cork (90% less) AND the ability of the wine to hold without degradation for up to a month after opening as major benefits of bags.Add to this the fact that Fernanda is donating 100% of the proceeds of this wine to an organization that finds homes for stray dogs in Mexico. Bagged only in 1.5 liter format, expect to see this wine on the shelves of the shops with savvy buyers in shops throughout the US this season and going forward.
Only 700 1.5 liter bags made
Drinking Window: upon release – 4 yearsVintage:
2022
Blend:
38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Grenache, 19% Petite Syrah, 19% MerlotProducer:
Pouya
Winemaker:
Fernanda Parra - Mexican, lives in Valle de Guadalupe
Vineyards:
Valle de Guadalupe – The Olegario Sandoval vineyard, planted in 2001 in sandy loam soils on ungrafted rootstock.
Winemaking:
Grapes were harvested by hand with each variety being picked and processed separately to assure ideal conditions were achieved by each. Grapes are destemmed and crushed and then cold macerated for 48 hours. Fermentation method used is sequential where the grapes are allowed to ferment on ambient yeast for 5 days (roughly half the fermentation) and then inoculated with a organic certified yeast. After fermentation is complete the wine is pressed and aged in 2nd and 3rd use French oak barrels for 6 months.
Sulfites: 40ppm
Alcohol:
13.8%
Farming:
Organic, Sustainable
