Ossian 2022 is the iconic wine of Ossian Vides y Vinos, the flagship white wine from Segovia, made with pre-phylloxera Verdejo from vines over a century old. A project of the family behind Pago de Carraovejas, Ossian revolves around a single mission: to demonstrate how great Verdejo can be when working with old vines, organic vineyard management, and Burgundian-style vinification. What exactly is Ossian 2022? It's a powerful, oak-aged Verdejo with plenty of depth, tension, and aging potential, made in the style of great white wines rather than an easy, fruity glass.
The grapes for Ossian 2022 come from Spain , from Castilla y León , from vineyards around Nieva in the province of Segovia. These are a mosaic of plots on the terraces of the Voltoya River, with sandy and gravelly soils that once thwarted phylloxera, so that a significant portion of the vines are still ungrafted and survive on pre-phylloxera roots. Many of these Verdejo vines are 100 to 200 years old and are trained as bush vines, with very low yields and remarkably concentrated fruit. The vineyards are farmed entirely organically, with natural fertilization and a strong focus on soil biology, so that the plants adapt well to the extreme continental climate with cold winters, hot summers, and large temperature variations between day and night. Ossian emphatically positions these vineyards as a piece of living viticultural history, in which Segovia-Verdejo and terroir take center stage.
The harvest for Ossian 2022 is entirely hand-picked, with the grapes brought to the cellar in small crates and rigorously selected once again. The bunches are then gently pressed, and only the free-flowing juice is used for the wine. The must is fermented with indigenous yeasts in wooden barrels and large foudres of various sizes, ensuring slow, controlled fermentation and added texture. The wine then matures for approximately nine months on its lees in French oak barrels and foudres, with regular stirring to increase yeast contact and develop the creamy texture. This combination of old vines, spontaneous fermentation, and oak aging gives Ossian 2022 a distinctly Burgundian character, with plenty of tension between its rich mouthfeel and crisp acidity.
Verdejo – old pre-phylloxera vineyards around Nieva
Ossian 2022 is 100% Verdejo from organically farmed, very old vines, many of which are ungrafted and over 100 years old, which is immediately evident in the wine's concentration, complexity, and minerality.
