Last time we offered Supernova Blanc, we converted a whole wave of wine enthusiasts into Supernova enthusiasts. I admit it, I was late to the Supernova craze, as I was only recently introduced to this winery, last spring, by my colleague and former sommelier, Elise Luce, who supported these wines on her by-the-glass program at the Four Seasons. Close to 11pm, groggy and drained after an event and a long day, Elise poured me a taste of a "mystery white."  Upon first sip, a jolt of energy charged my spine, and I said, "What the heck is this?" From that moment, I was hooked, yet I kept questioning myself, “How could a white wine from a warm place be this good?” 

The light behind Supernova is Thomas Llabrés, who founded Ca’n Verdura (the official name of the winery) over ten years ago in an auto garage in the heart of Binissalem, an old village in the northern central zone of Mallorca. Committed to low-impact farming and low-intervention winemaking, his efforts have fueled a wine renaissance in Mallorca, which is breathing new life into the island’s native grapes: Moll, Mantonegro, Callet, and the super rare white, Giró Ros.

Supernova Blanc is Thomas’ top white wine, made from 100% Moll. Sourced from multiple sites in Binissalem, the crown jewel is an old vineyard, planted in 1958. A terroir of limestone, clays, and rounded stones give the wine its decadent mouthful of minerality which pairs seamlessly with its crisp, cold, and fennel-like acidity. Moll reminds me of a top-notch Aligoté with its lemon-pear fruits, white flowers, and pollen, and on the palate, it floats back-and-forth between the creamy and the lean, the medium and the ultra light. In the glass, Thomas Llabrés magically captures the spirit of a cold climate in a warm place. I'll never quite understand his magic tricks, but that’s the beauty of Mallorca and these wonderful wines. ~Allegra A