Wines born in a bright land

On the outskirts of Montuiri is a family-run winery that, despite its short history, has managed to carve a niche for itself in Mallorca's wine scene. Today we visit Blanca Terra, which opened its doors in 2013 thanks to the enthusiasm of Bernat Febrer and now continues its journey with the passionate incorporation of his family and a dedicated team. 

We went to kilometer 30 of the Palma - Manacor road to get to know the Blanca Terra proposal through one of the experiences that the winery offers. As soon as we arrive, we understand that here innovation and tradition coexist in harmony: the reception is elegant, contemporary and well cared for; the production is ecological, vegan and respectful with the environment.  

The person assigned to be our guide today welcomes us kindly and invites us to enter a room where a video displays the explanation of how the cellar was born and its purpose: Febrer, driven by his love of wine and his peasant origins, decided at the age of seventy to embark on this adventure advised by an oenologist. After analyzing the land and equipping himself with state-of-the-art machinery, he and his daughter Maria Antonia opened the winery, where two of the family's grandchildren are already working now. Its peculiar name, Blanca Terra, is due to a special characteristic of the soil where they cultivate: it is pale and clayey, which makes it ideal for working with foreign varieties. 

After entering the world of Blanca Terra, which until now was completely unknown to us, we reach a courtyard that houses an exhibition of machines, carts and tools involved in the winemaking process, and then we return inside to see in person each phase of the production process: we can see how the grapes are processed, how the wine is bottled (some sixty thousand units are sold each year) and the cellar, full of barrels in which the wine evolves, following its course of maturation. 

Eight wines are produced at Blanca Terra. The palette of whites is composed of the local varieties Malvasía and giró ros in Origens; Foravila is a fresh and smooth blend of chardonnay and riesling, and Ses Planes is a coupage of chardonnay and riesling that goes through a cement tank instead of the usual oak barrel. Passió is the winery's only rosé, which blends malvasía and cabernet sauvignon. There are three reds: Son Roca, a young Syrah; Febrer and Febrer Selecció, which combines merlot and monastrell.  

After an interesting tour of the winery, we head back to the reception, where we discover a store that had gone unnoticed when we entered the premises. In it, Terra Blanca gathers local products that we happen to know well: the delicious honey from Mel Vici, the oil from Algaida, Treuer; the historic Munar pâtés and jam from Mallorca Verda, among other succulent gastronomic proposals that are made on the island. A gourmet store hundred percent Made in Mallorca. 

Right next to the store there is an open space full of tables and chairs where we even find a stage. The chords of jazz music and the rays of the midday sun envelop the room, which welcomes us to taste Blanca Terra wines. Eager to discover what surprises this Montuïri winery has in store for us, we take our seats.  

We start with Passió, the house rosé, with an orange color and a soft but tasty flavor on the palate that reminds us of red berries and sour strawberry. Next, we go with Foravila, a very refreshing white with greenish sparkles that tastes like summer. For comparison, we decide to taste Orígens, the only one that contains indigenous varieties and flavors of green fruit, a fact that is revealed in its character and body, which are immediately noticeable in the mouth. 

Then it was time for the reds: Son Roca, the young red, has an intense aroma of ripe fruit. Hundred percent syrah, it is an easy wine that we would choose to combine with any recipe. Febrer, on the other hand, has more body, as it spends at least six months in a tank. We ended the tasting with a very pleasant surprise: Ses Planes, a wine that, as we were told, is designed to be enjoyed at leisure. It is a dry and enveloping wine, persistent on the palate, which reminds us of the aromas of the Mediterranean: salt, fennel and white flowers. 

Each pass is accompanied by small tapas: crackers with seeds and Munar pâté go perfectly with the rosé Passió, cheese and apricot jam marry perfectly with the whites, and sobrasada, of course, is the perfect ally of the reds.  

We arrived at Blanca Terra without too much information -sometimes you just have to open up to the experience and let yourself be carried away- and we leave Montuïri excited because we confirmed that on this island of wine tradition the younger wineries, despite not having the historical legacy of the cellers of a lifetime, are making their way with good taste, quality and excellence. We can't think of a better way to honor our land. Bacchus can be proud.