A new Mallorcan wine is making headlines, a vino tinto from Felanitx: 4 kilos.

One of the three founders of the Ánima Negra bodega in Felanitx, Francisco Grimalt, has broken away from the successful venture to set up a new bodega in Felanitx, the 4 kilos vinícola.

Only two types of red wine of the Vino de la tierra de Mallorca category have been produced so far: 4 kilos 2006, a Cabernet grape with 15 % of Callet grapes, aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, of which only 3,000 bottles were produced, and 12 Volts 2007, a blend of Cabernet, Callet-Fogoneu, Syrah and Merlot grapes, aged for 12 months in oak barrels of American as well as French origins, of which 22,000 bottles were produced. The wines are of an excellent quality; both tintos came out with top marks in some Spanish wine competitions earlier this year. The more expensive 4 kilos (first offered for 25 €, but quickly reaching 35 € in the tiendas, and now for sale at up to 95 €) sold out immediately due to the hype of its Francisco Grimalt pedigree and the relatively small number of bottles sold, whereas the more accessible 12 Volts is still in the shops (now at around 16 €).

The producers’ idea seems to be to eventually produce enough grapes for perhaps 10,000 bottles of 4 kilos with a price tag of 25 € and for 30,000 bottles of 12 Volts with a retail price of 10 €. The 4 kilos 2007 should be out before Easter, whilst 12 Volts 2008 should be ready by October. Something to be looking forward to in 2009.

The 4 kilo vinícola website offers a rather sympathetic 2009 New Year’s greetings video (well, Chrismas greetings, really). Here is a link if you want to see it. And whilst you are on the website, you might want to check on a lot more detailed information, also available in English.

¡Salut! And again: Happy New Year!

The photo was taken in Felanitx, Mallorca, Spain. The date: October 19th, 2008. The time was 14:31:48.