Explorin’ España: Microbio, Mendall and Mallorca Magic
by Fionn
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Spain, but not the sleepy old version. This was all salt, energy, old vines and bottles that made us want to book flights immediately.
We will happily admit it: there are moments when Spain still catches us off guard. Then a drop like this lands and suddenly we're back in full evangelist mode.
MicroBio Kicks Things Off
First stop was Ismael Gozalo and his absurdly old vines in Nieva. The main Verdejo release has that salty, tropical lift we keep banging on about, but the fun really ramps up with the Brutal bottlings.
The maceration is floral and a little unhinged in a very good way, while the red has that crunchy, juicy, almost Jura-adjacent thing going on that makes us immediately want another glass.
Mendall Brings The Chaos
Then we moved onto Mendall and Alicia Serres, which is where things got especially lively. The pale Rosat is gorgeous, the briny orange is deeply our thing, and the fizzing pet-nat is pure fun.
There is also the pink-lemonade crowd-pleaser and that deeper, moodier red from old Carignan, which feels like the sort of bottle that gets people really hooked.
Mallorca Finishes Strong
Finally we headed to Mallorca with Eloi of Sistema Vinari. The new litre bottling is exactly the sort of thing we want in the fridge at all times. Fato is all fragrant island charm, the saline white is beach wine in the best sense, and the blood-orange-toned rosado is just stupidly inviting.
Shop The Drop
Proof, yet again, that Spanish wine can be wild, lifted and incredibly delicious when the right people are behind it.
Source note: This post is adapted from Parched's March 26, 2026 newsletter, preserving the original editorial thrust and source links while reshaping the piece for the blog.