The small Mediterranean island of Mallorca is for the Germans, what Benidorm is for the Brits, with most visitors heading for the coast and only a small percentage of such, aware of Mallorca’s very own and treasured Wine Industry.
Yet vines have grown on the island for more than two thousand years, of which many varieties are indigenous to the island, hence rarities and lesser well-known. Until now.
I recently had the pleasure of tasting some of the islands wine, wines from Nina Magdalena to be precise, and not wanting to deprive yourselves in any way whatsoever, I recommend you try them too. If you manage to read my article from start to finish, you may even contemplate an island investment yourself, as did Nina and Hannes Traut from Germany.
Back in 2015, Nina and Hannes were on the lookout for an investment and one more traditional than the normal venture. The result of their search: six hectares of land on the island of Mallorca and with this, an increased consumption of wine, as Hannes says today with a smile on his face.
At that time, an article in a finance journal caught Nina and Hannes' attention, an article covering a young German named Henri Fink. Henri, himself a fully qualified vintner completed his apprenticeship with an organic winery on the Moselle, and moved to Mallorca in 2014.
Considering Nina and Hannes' own backgrounds: Hannes, a successful management consultant, and Nina, Qi-Mag Feng-Shui consultant and Senior Master in Tao-Geomancy, also their vision of producing hand-crafted fine wines integrating TAO-Geomancy in harmony with Mother Earth, was received with scepticism among friends and family.
Henri, his personal journey an unusual one, launched the wine factory WEINWERT® in 2015 and just a year after arriving at the island. The WEINWERT® concept encourages existing residents to invest in part of their fallow land, plant these up with vines, and subsequently enjoy the resulting produce themselves. The second option, which is where Hannes and Nina appear on the scene, is to seek new investors willing to purchase vacant parcels of land and then produce wine too.
Island exploration begins
Having convinced themselves of Henri's competence, Nina and Hannes visited the island two or three times in search of an appropriate plot. The initial discussions were positive and soon convinced of Henri's expertise and ability, the logical consequence was to start planning, which in 2016 they did.
Hannes and Nina, not ones for doing things by halves, were soon proud owners of 6 hectares of land on this idyllic sun-kissed spot in the Mediterranean.
In close cooperation with Henri and his skilled team, they discussed in detail which vines and how many of each were to be planted, the corresponding vineyard care, the vinification, and most importantly, their envisioned style of wine. In the meantime, (between 2017 and 2020) 4,4 hectares have been planted with both red and white grape varieties.
Wine, an incarnation of cultural Heritage, an embrace of nature, an embodiment of history and philosophy; aspects very fitting to both Nina and Hannes' own hearts and spirit.
Nina has worked on an energetic level for years.
Together with her clients, she focuses on the optimal regulation of energy, not only in us as human beings, but more so, in the world around us. Her experience in the field (not meaning the vineyard), together with her evident perception of Nature's energetic force, is incorporated into both the cultivation of the vines and the vinification process. Fine wines of elegance and expression are their reward.
From Algaida to Montuïri
The vinification process itself takes place in Henris's wine factory in the charming mallorcan Château Vino de la Isla. On the island, this is a reliable address with an excellent reputation, high standards and outstanding quality, much evident in the handcrafted wines of Nina Magdalena.
In the heart of the beautiful island, nestled gently between the villages of Algaida and Montuïri, lies the small winery Viña Nina Magdalena and since 2016, Nina and Hannes have been dedicating themselves to, among other things, rare mallorcan grape varieties. They now cultivate eight different varieties - from rarities through to popular Classics. The organically grown grapes are picked by hand, vinified with great care and respect for their origin and appreciation for this godsent gift of Mother Nature.
Raising Awareness
There is no point in producing a high-quality product if no-one knows about it, so it was high time for a Product Launch and a little “awareness raising.”
Nina and Hannes, together with managing director of isla.wine GmbH Thomas Nebl, came up with the idea of hosting an exclusive Culinary Wine-Tasting for their still young, but extremely promising Mallorca Wine Project, as it has since been christened.
An appropriate location for the event was vital. This posed little if no challenge for Nina and Hannes, themselves lovers of Mediterranean Cuisine and regular visitors at Restaurante Casthanho in Eichenau near Munich.
Together with owner and Head Chef Nuno and carefully considering the accompanying wines, an exquisite menu was put together and an invitation sent to a limited number of guests. Their invitation met with a more than positive response, with the limited seating being sold-out in just a matter of days. That evening, Nina and Hannes Traut carried all costs for the wines, also water and the 6-course menu was paid by each guest individually. Myself, also invited to the exclusive event, thoroughly enjoyed not only the wines, the cuisine, and the atmosphere, but also co-presenting alongside Thomas Nebl.
Following a long drive there, I decided to pay the restaurant a brief visit before checking into my nearby hotel. Despite the late hour for lunchtime sittings, the restaurant was full and the team - one which showed serious signs of having worked together before - extremely busy. This, I found, a particularly good sign.
15 minutes before schedule the first eager guests arrived. Greeted personally by Nina, Hannes and Thomas on arrival, each participant soon received wine number one of the evening – a Rosado 2021 Cuvée as an aperitif. If the evening was to be as impressive as this wine's colour, then we were in for a treat. The combination of Sirah (Shiraz) and Cabernet Sauvignon wasn`t just a delight to look at, it was a true sensation on your palate.
Preparations complete, wine chilled accordingly, and in the kitchen a hive of bustling activity.
Once everyone had arrived and was catered for, Hannes Traut took the stage, with Nina preferring to remain in the background. She filled the room nonetheless, with her radiant energy.
Hannes, in his soft voice and sympathetic manner proceeded to tell their interesting story and reason for the exclusive dinner.
Their Mallorcan Project. Relaxed, the guests listened attentively and with great interest and perhaps, a little admiration.
Thomas Nebl then introduced himself and went on to lead the evenings proceedings, opening with the Nina Magdalena Blanco de Negros de Manto Negro 2022 and a small treat from the kitchen galley. The menu stated, a Glass of Seafood, yet the portion was clearly too big for the glass, hence beautifully served instead, on small white plates.
The Blanco de Negros de Manto Negro 2022 with its' abundance of citrus aromas, a slight herbal note and elegant acidity paired extremely well with the delicate seafood.
Thomas informed us about the virtually unknown indigenous red grape variety Manto Negro which is grown almost exclusively in Mallorca, and therefore available in only very small quantities. A versatile variety, as we would later discover with the red version Vino Tinto Manto Negro 2021.
Falling in love again..
Having already fallen in love, no, not with Thomas of course, but with the food and wine, I would like to make my first recommendation: for anyone with a weakness for Mediterranean cuisine, Restaurante Castanho in Eichenau near Munich is well worth a visit.
Nuno, owner and Head Chef, Portuguese and an excellent example for his trade, conjures up Italian, Portuguese, and other international dishes together with his hardworking team (most family). All dishes served proved the perfect accompaniment for Nina and Hannes' Portfolio of Wine.
Following Nuno's not so small welcome treat, it was time for my own introduction and of course, wine number two on the official agenda. A delicious variety of Antipasti including grilled vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, Parma ham, rocket salad, tasty tomatoes and mozzarella, topped with fresh Parmesan cheese and subtly seasoned, paired with a Vino Blanco Sauvignon Blanc 2021. Not an easy dish to wine-match with its variety of flavours, but judging the rooms reaction, we scored.
Admittedly, I had the opportunity of tasting all wines previously and whilst doing so, the Sauvignon Blanc was already a personal favourite.
A brilliant pale yellow, with a hint of lime and pineapple on the nose (which wasn`t too painful), lively acidity and subtle residual sweetness tantalised the palate, complementing the balsamic vinegar to a tee.
Typical vegetal aromas often present in this interesting grape variety kept their heads down. Simply a fresh grassy note and not an off-putting one either. Given a moment to breathe, Cassis flavours emerged, harmonising wonderfully with the Parmesan and noticeably, with the sautéed mushrooms.
The second and more of an in-between-dish offered a choice of either Risotto Fungi or Fettuccine Gamberi cooked with garlic and served on a white wine sauce. The sauce itself made with our next wine on the menu; Vino Blanco Macabeo 2021.
I went for the Risotto, being interested to see how well the Macabeo behaved with those little wine foes.
But Nina Magdalena's Macabeo lived up to its name. Macabeo, a highly versatile Spanish grape variety is also known as the Chameleon.
Not only does this variety adapt well to its environment, but also proves a versatile companion for a wide range of dishes.
Fresh acidity, a mildly exotic character with mango and papaya, slightly herbal and in this case, a tasty addition to the white sauce. Thumbs up all round.
A freshen - up
A short refreshment arrived; this time prepared under the watchful eye of Mama Vera. In an elegant Champagne flute, sharp lemon Sorbet infused with Nina Magdalena 2021er Vino Rosado, an auspicious composition of Syrah and Manto Negro.
Salmon-pink stippled with strawberry, a feast for the eyes and a pleasure on the palate. The ripe berry fruit and noticeable but light residual sweetness counterbalanced the acidity of the ice-cold lemon perfectly.
Freshly prepared main courses, particularly for more than forty guests, take a moment or two to dish up, so Thomas used this opportunity to introduce the four wines which had been chosen for the various dishes.
With a great deal of expertise, he introduced us to the world of Nina Magdalena red wine varieties.
Two red wines were now placed on each table; Cuvée Elias and Vino Tinto Manto Negro 2021, together with Viña Nina Magdalena Cuvée Sabrina 2022 (vinified using two less well-known white grape varieties, Viognier and Prensal Blanc) and a Rosé, Viña Nina Magdalena Rosado 2022.
Nina Magdalena's Cuvée Elias is a successful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and the important Mediterranean grape variety Monastrell, originally from Spain. In the glass, this superb wine presents itself with ruby hues and vibrant shades of deep purple, which literally clung to the sides of the glass.
The strong tannin structure and 14% alcohol bring out well the ripe red-berry fruits of morello cherry and blackcurrant, lengthening the dark-chocolatey finish at the same time.
Ten out of ten from my side, considering the wines' youth and obvious aging potential.
In addition to Cuvée Elias, Thomas presented red wine number two; Vino Tinto Manto Negro 2021. Manto Negro, the islands' indigenous variety, boasts a spicy bouquet, dark berry fruit aromas, a touch of caramel on the palate and a beautiful deep ruby to garnet red colour.
An elegant dry red which went well with both meat dishes, and one often enjoyed slightly chilled in the summer. Thomas also described the characteristics of Viña Nina Magdalena Cuvée Sabrina 2022 and Viña Nina Magdalena Rosado 2022.
The Rosado 2021 vintage we had already tasted as an aperitif and with the sorbet. The 2022 vintage, more pronounced on the nose, fruity and fresh, with scents of rose, pomegranate and cranberry is dry on the palate, slightly acidic with a long finish. Overall, a very agreeable accompaniment with a meal, or of course, without.
Viña Nina Magdalena Cuvée Sabrina 2022 on the other hand, was more of an accident, according to Hannes. I am not too sure that Sabrina, Nina and Hannes' daughter also present that evening, found this hysterically funny, but she didn't bat an eyelid and Hannes, probably not even aware of what he had said.
Joking aside, it will in fact be a challenge to repeat the wines characteristics a second time round. This fine blend of Viognier and Prensal-Blanc, both grape varieties light in acidity, one quite floral, the other more of a fruity character, complement each other extremely well.
The story goes, that following harvest, one suddenly noticed a missed row of grapes. This is not unusual, but of course by the time they were discovered, the fruit was riper than those originally harvested (grapes do not have a best-before-date, by the way) being more like raisins with higher sugar and more intense aromatics.
Well, in these went too and out came their reward; a wine with a quite distinct aromatic, unique flavours and one which turns out to be an incredibly good companion for a wide variety of dishes and occasions.
Not only the wine, but also the main course was to spoil the guests' palates, and it did, with no exception.
We chose from the following dishes: Grilled Rump steak with sautéed potatoes and a small salad nest - Costata di Manzo alla Griglia, Beef-Filet with a chestnut and red wine sauce made with Cuvée Elias 2021 and served with grilled vegetables - Bife con Castanha and a fish dish of monkfish and gambas, accompanied by sautéed potatoes and salad - Seeteufel/Gambas alla Griglia.
The restaurant owner Nuno, together with his professional team, deserve a round of applause at this point. From quality and presentation, through to service and timing, I really do recommend you check them out.
Dessert and unfortunately the evenings Grand Finale meant decision time once again. The kitchen had prepared two more homemade treats for us all. Tiramisu or Mousse au Chocolat and to make things easier, I would have happily accepted both.
Last but not least, Nina Magdalena tickled our tastebuds with their premium Tinto Cabernet Sauvignon 2020. The wines` convincing balance of tannins and acidity, an aromatic nose with red berries, cassis and caramel and a hint of fresh mint turned up trumps as an excellent partner to the chocolatey sweetness of both desserts and was a befitting end to an unforgettable evening.
Commitment, Appreciation - Purity & Origin
Nina and Hannes Traut combine their new passion for mallorcan wines, with decades of experience working on an energetic level. In applying such elements to viticulture, they work not only in harmony with, but get the best out of, all Nature has to offer. Each bottle is produced with diligence and a good portion of undeniably rare energy.
This was the first time I had met Nina, Hannes, and Thomas in person. Of course, we had spoken on the phone, I had already heard their story and sure, I had got my priorities right and tasted their wines in advance. More than anything which convinced me to collaborate with them in the first place, is their positivity, honesty and empathetic manner, qualities I will go as far as saying, reflected in their wines.
And what did the guests say?
„Thank you both very much for an unforgettable and highly sophisticated evening. Your company, great fun, the excellent service, food, and interesting insights. We wish you immense success for Nina Magdalena and your excellent wines. “
With a bit of luck, I have aroused your curiosity. I would be delighted to hear your feedback, once you`ve tasted the wines for yourself of course:
Dear Nina and Hannes, I wish you and Nina Magdalena all the best, look forward to many more such events and Thomas, many thanks again, for pointing out that my corkscrew was bust! 😉