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A Tour of the Foresta Vineyards

Originally published in Avina Wine Tools

Number 16 is just a house. It sits at the end of a paved street, just across from a patch of gnarled vines, the only hint that I’ve arrived at a vineyard. In fact, I’ve toured the two-street town twice already searching for it. I’m here for the tour of Foresta, a small winery tucked away in the tiny village of L’Arboçar, which sits deep in the heart of Catalunya’s wine-making region, D.O. Penedès, midway between the mountains and the sea. Like the town it sits in, it’s a micro-operation indeed. A few French oak barrels and two small steel fermentation tanks are housed in the garage, and there’s a small artichoke patch around back. It’s not what you’d expect of a vineyard, but in a region of small production, family-owned vineyards, it’s not unusual either.

There’s just three of us out in the fields braving the chilly weather today: wine making partners Joan Olivella and Lluís Carsí and me. They’re taking me to the top of their steeply terraced vineyard to admire the view, but also so we can talk about the weather. It’s important here, especially in this zone dotted with microclimates. We pile into their dusty work truck and launch off the residential street onto a narrow path of pale orange clay, up and away from the tiny pastel town. We bump along blowing up dust all around us, shocks creaking, snaking up the rock-strewn dirt road past small plots of still-bare vines. Along the way, we pass a mountain biker pedaling steadily upwards, braving the uneven ground.

It’s not yet spring, a fact signaled by the blustery wind from the Mediterranean Sea that whips around us as we hike the narrow ridge that runs above the vineyard. The vines are bare, with nothing to show but shaggy bark and the carpet of white flowers that bloom around their base each spring. Nevertheless there’s a silent process at work, and soon the vines will sprout tender buttons of bright green leaves, soon to unfurl in the warming weather. Today is not a normal day, they tell me. Normally the breeze that blows rolls across the terraced hills is warm and humid, bringing steady relief to the vines from the baking heat of summer days. To the west spreads the low, flat land of Penedès, where the vineyards are divided into neat quadrants, soaking up the warm Spanish sun. To the east is the sea, and before it the land of the Massís del Garraf, a tiny zone of microclimates and terraced land which slopes gently toward the water.

Lluís is searching for a rock to show me, a fossil actually, one that has the age-old record of marine life inscribed upon it. They are common in this area, where the sandy, clay-like soil is mostly composed of limestone, which forms an integral part of the wine’s terroir. It’s what distinguishes it from, say, the wines of Priorat where the shale-heavy soil is marked by a different sort of minerality. The soil in Penedès is just one of the elements which helps to make it one of the best wine-producing regions in Spain after Rioja.

The hilltop is covered in rugged shrubs of wild rosemary and thyme dotted with pale purple blooms. Its fragrance reaches up each time our legs brush against it as we make our way carefully along the narrow, rocky path. When we reach the end, we are greeted by two low cement posts that will form the base of the table they’re building. Soon, they tell me, guests will be able to sit here and taste their wines while taking in the stellar views. It’s a seductive one to be sure, with the Mediterranean shimmering in the distance, and the patchwork of vines lacing the countryside that meets it.

Yet what we might appreciate as a serene, softly rolling landscape, they view as labor, each narrow terrace a careful negotiation of manual labor and careful footwork by family members and hired workers. From vine to bottle, the wine production demands a complex calculation involving orientation, sun exposure, moisture, and physical collection. It’s one that Joan was taught by his father and his father before him. It’s one he’s learned by trial and error. It’s not a perfect science, but it’s his and somehow that’s enough.

Despite its challenges, they love this land they work. They love its thick green forests, which inspired their name, because they protect their organic vines from potential contamination from other vineyards. They also love the fauna that inhabits them, like the wily little fox, a common sight in the Garraf, that dances across their label. They don’t love the wild boars quite as much– javelís in local parlance–which are far less fleet-footed and far more destructive to the vines. One ate his way through almost 15,000 grapes from a neighbor’s vines in one night. They’re now kept out by an electric fence.

Together they make only three wines, one white and two reds, although a dessert wine, a Viognier, is on the horizon. Their wines are carefully crafted from mostly local varietals, each a labor of love. Foresta’s wines are made almost exclusively from local grapes, Xarello (the x is pronounced softly like a ‘sh’), Sumoll, and Marselan (a cross between Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon), a relatively new grape that only arrived in Catalunya from coastal France in 1990. It’s admired for being disease resistant, but its small fruit and low yield make it a challenge to work with.

Xarello, a white grape used in cava, makes an aromatic white. Although their Xarello has a bit of Viognier thrown in, it’s still a monovarietal wine. Yet, monovarietals aren’t necessarily simplistic. To create maximum expression, they harvest the Xarello grapes from three different parcels with different orientations and soil compositions in order to create a more interesting “blend,” even though they’re all the same grape. Foresta’s is lemon-like and heady with the scent of lime blossoms. You can taste a mineral kiss of limestone, but mostly you can taste the salt of the sea.

Their Sumoll has a subtle floral aroma of violets and rose petals on the nose but the body is light like a Pinot Noir. In this one, too, the minerality of the soil comes through. Sumoll comes from a slang term in Catalan, sumollar, which refers to the maturing, literally withering, that takes place when grapes become raisins. It’s a grape native to Catalunya but one that isn’t widely planted. It’s also a grape that takes time and energy to do right. The long, big fruit needs a highly skilled winemaker to bring forth its best qualities. Paired with low yields, it’s a grape that most winemakers don’t take the time to invest in. Indeed, Foresta is one of the few wineries that’s helping to bring this grape back into view.

Unlike large production wineries with wide distribution, they don’t make much money, but it’s enough to get by. Eventually, they hope to buy more land so that they can expand production and new equipment to help them harvest faster and more efficiently. In the meantime, they’re thinking of new ways they can share their love of the land with guests. They’ve converted three old stone huts on the property, originally used by field workers to protect them from storms, into sweetly decorated single room eco-huts where guests can stay in a private patch of land in the middle of the vineyard. They’re beautifully rustic little spaces, covered with a profusion of wild irises for drainage, which open up to incredible views of the vines and forest, offering just what one would need to disconnect and relax.

When we finally arrive back in the garage, Lluís shows me their modest setup: the couple small stainless steel fermenting tanks and six small oak barrels. A shelf on the wall holds a few bottles of their latest wines. He opens a Xarello from 2015 so I can taste it, while I press him about what motivates him to make wine. The work is hard, the challenges sometimes daunting, he tells me, but the joy is simple. What makes him most happy, he says, is seeing his guests enjoy what they drink. Just that.

To schedule a visit: Vins de Foresta
Website: http://www.vinsdeforesta.cat/
Phone: +619 00 88 38

Josep Grau Viticultor

Originally published in The Vintner Project

Josep Grau is a winemaker from Marçà (in Catalunya’s D.O. Montsant), though if you met him on the street, you’d never know it. Today he’s dressed in his typical garb–a neatly pressed shirt tucked into belted chinos, a pair of smart glasses perched on his nose. It’s a far cry from the grubby t-shirts and worn work boots I’m used to seeing on winemakers, but then Josep isn’t your typical winemaker. Indeed, his dress is a hint, perhaps, into his former life as an accountant before he made the bold, and admittedly scary, leap into the wine world.

Today Josep is making an unusual circuit of local artists’ workshops–a ceramicist, a leather goods maker, and a jewelry designer–tucked into the narrow Gothic streets of the Born neighborhood in Barcelona, where his tasting space, Tast de Vins, is located. He’s making visits to these three craft workshops with the intention of revealing the links between creativity and honest elaboration of a wine. Back in his tasting space, he shares his five latest releases, all small production reds, all finca wines–meaning they are each named for the single vineyard where they’re grown, except for Territori, which is a blend of the best fincas. They’re only made in exceptional vintages.

His newest releases are special indeed, each giving life to the terroir that created them. They’re all ecological and all manually harvested, as the grapes of that region tend to be. Each originates from the municipality of La Serra d’Almos where the vineyards are between 229 meters and 280 meters high, with a markedly Mediterranean climate and continental influence. These Garnacha and Cariñena wines are nuanced by soils of different structures, plucked from vines grown in clay, sand, silt, and calcareous soils. Josep loves these soils and the wines he creates from it. It’s what defines who he is and what he represents.

D.O. Montsant, that curled ‘c’ that snugs up against the more famous region of Priorat, is coming into its own these days in the Catalan wine world, with its Garnachas and Cariñenas becoming more lauded as each year passes. A long introduction to the regional soils would tell you about their unique nuances which shift throughout the region but also that they lend a lot of the same qualities to native grapes that the famed llicorella (slate soil) of Priorat does. Yet, Montsant wines can be markedly more subtle with a certain finesse that has earned them their regional denomination. They’re wines worth exploring, especially if the lusty reds of Priorat call to you.

There are eleven wines in Josep’s collection, only two whites and one rosé among them, which was just selected by the newspaper El Pais as one of the 10 best rosés for summer. Each has its story, each one nurtured to life by Josep’s own hands–hands that spent 20 years holding a pencil, before he decided they were made for better things.

Editària: An Expression of Land and Hand

Some would say it’s the panal, that deep sandy soil built upon layers of sediment traced with lime. Some might say it’s the wind, which carries maritime influences up 700 meters from the sea below. Indeed, Picasso himself might have agreed, who came to the area to recover from scarlet fever back in 1898. Some might say it’s the indigenous grapes, among them Garnatxa Blanca and Garnatxa Peluda, that gives the wines of Terra Alta their particular finesse. Certainly all three work together to create a unique terroir which sets it apart from any other in Catalunya.

Read more at BCNMés.

Natural wines at Partida Creus

Massimo Marchiori looks more like a fisherman than a farmer. He’s sporting a blue down vest, tattered jeans, and worn work boots. His bald head is concealed under a navy blue beanie, and a rugged salt and pepper beard frames his ready smile. Bits of tobacco cling to the chest of his fleece jacket as he rolls a cigarette and tells me about his tractor.

In the valley below us, Bonastre is a storybook. A patchwork of vineyards quilt the countryside of the lower Penedès. The vine’s buds are about to spring forth, their latency practically vibrating in the late winter air. A rain storm gathers indigo on the horizon, setting spring’s early white blooms in sharp relief. We descend into the cellar where we spend our whole visit drinking in the dim light.

Massimo fills our glasses with a succession of wines so rapidly that only his tongue outpaces us. We begin with a soft, supple white blend, his Vinello Blanco. We move onto something with hints of dried apricots before he digs into his personal stash of Muscat (pure jasmine in a glass–not for sale) and blows me away with the best wine I’ve had in a long, long time. The Subirat Parent (Malvasía) is a bright, floral bomb, and the Vinyater pure green apple with a buttery, malolactic tongue. This year’s Cartoixa Vermell is pure white pepper, but that’s because it’s been so hot. In cooler years, it tastes more of rose petals, he tells me. And those are just the whites.

The best wine I’ve had in a long, long time

He hops up onto the 300-liter barrels, lithe like a monkey, pipette in hand, dipping and shooting wine into my raised glass. As we drink, stories pour out of him. Massimo is a man with opinions. Our conversation winds gratuitously through a dizzying range of topics: from why he’s making wine in Catalunya (“I don’t like anything about Italian winemaking.”); to how many wines he makes (“Too many!”); to how to keep the grapes cool (“It’s all about leaf management.”); to technology (“I hate the phone and the computer.”); to the purity of truly natural wine (“It’s medicine!”) All the while, his animated hands put on their own one-act play.

Like most winemakers I’ve met, Massimo is intuitive and passionate. He is fiercely authentic in his winemaking, which shows in his dedication to recuperating native grapes, but also in his desire to do right by the land and to produce the purest natural wines possible. He wants the land to tell its own story through his wines.

His passion translates into non-stop experimentation. He’s producing over ten wines at the moment, and the cellar is bursting at the seams. He wants to expand, but more space means money and time. He and his wife, Antonella Gerosa, have plans in mind: to build a warehouse, maybe some bedrooms for guests, a space to entertain. For now, Massimo pops another bottle, tops us up, and raises a glass to the future.

What to try: The Blanc de Sumoll (€14,50) offers a fresh, crisp, mineral expression with hints of salinity. The Garrut (€16) is an inky bomb of crushed blackberries and herbs with twenty months aging in oak.

Where to find it: Bar Brutal (carrer de la Princesa, 14), Cuvée 3000 (carrer de Lepant, 149), and Pepa Pla (carrer d’Aribau, 41).

Read the article at BCNMes. 

Discovering Finca Parera

Originally published in BCNMes.

Walking through Finca Parera, we stop by a small garden, which looks more like a jumble of weeds. Rubén Parera bends down and plucks out a stalk of celery, a handful of parsley, a few blades of swiss chard, and some comely escarole. Each time he yanks out a handful, he holds it up like a prize winner at a state fair and grins.

At Finca Parera, an organic and biodynamic winery in the Alt Penedès, they do much more than just make wine. With three generations of farmers in the family, it’s not surprising to see more than just vines being cultivated.

Some of his neighbors don’t understand his “dirty” farming techniques.

Rubén works the land with his father and two other partners. Under his father’s hand, the land was once used to farm cherries and plums, but Rubén’s vision was to turn it into a vineyard. Today, some of the cherries remain alongside almond and olive trees –essential to biodynamic, polyculture agriculture– but most of the landscape is laced with vines. From these they produce a lineup of nine sparkling and still minimal-intervention wines.

Rubén pops open a metal door in the ground and reveals a bunker of cloudy, ancestral whites. He holds one up to the sun and admires the yeast deposits. It’s made of Xarel·lo, one of several local grapes they grow. When they used to sell their grapes to large producers like Torres, they cultivated many international varietals. Now they’re finding their roots –shifting production to native varietals, foregoing Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for Monastrell, Sumoll, and other locals that best express the terroir of the region.

As we walk along rows, Rubén points out a small patch of tufted greens, different from the usual ground cover. They’re habas, he tells us –fava beans– planted to bring nitrogen to the soil. Most of them end up in the menus of Barcelona restaurants Dos Palillos and Dos Pebrots. Although some of his neighbors don’t understand his “dirty” farming techniques, Ruben’s proud of his wild ground cover, patting it lovingly before heading off to check on his new bees. A winemaker’s curiosity can never be satisfied, he says.

What to try: Clar (€7.50) is a crisp, aromatic unaged white made from Xarello, Chardonnay, and Gewurtraminer filled with fruit and a hint of flowers. The Fins Als Kullons (€15) is a blend of Xarel·lo, Garnatxa Blanca, Sumoll. It’s a light, juicy red with the soul of a white, perfect for summer drinking.

Where to find it: Bar Salvatge (Verdi, 67), La Festival (Verdi, 50), Mano Rota (Creu dels Molers, 4).

Parés Baltà: Hail the Ladies

Originally published in BCNMés.

It’s the tail end of the harvest season, and the small laboratory at Parés Baltà is abuzz. The family is in there – the whole family – testing the season’s spoils. We crowd in at the window to watch them, a strange universe where humans observe humans at work. They hover over microscopes, dip pipettes, hold beakers up to the light.

Out in the vineyard, the vines are nearly stripped of their grapes. Some of the leaves have already begun their synthesis, turning deep red and brilliant yellow before the vines finally molt. Soon, the sheep will move in to ‘green clean’ the vines of extra leaves and prepare the soil with their natural fertilizer. All organic and biodynamic, the vineyard requires a lot of energy, human, ovine and moon alike.

Back in the barrel room, we’re taught to paddle the wines, dipping our oars into empty oak like lost Vikings, imagining the juicy macerations of peels on fruit. We’re happy to show we’re willing to work for our just rewards.

Parés Baltà is a family-run winery that crosses three generations, but the women are clearly in charge. Sisters-in-law Marta Casas and Maria Elena Jiménez are the enologists at the helm, and there’s little the dynamic duo can’t do. Together they’ve created a catalogue of 28 wines and collected a pile of medals to show for it. They name them after grandmothers, mothers, and daughters – Elena, Irene, Carol, Blanca, Rosa, Marta. Their belief in Mother Earth guides them.

“You could say our wines have a feminine touch,” our tour guide tells us. Well, imagine that.

What to try: The Blanca Cusiné 2010 (€17.50) will surprise you with a golden color that hints at its grace. It’s an incredibly high quality and well-priced brut cava made of a unique combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Xarel·lo and aged for 30 months. It serves up a tumbled bouquet of honey and hazelnuts, with hints of fresh prickly pear and preserved fruit that ends in a long, complex finish. Their Radix Rosé (€17) is another palate pleaser, an intensely deep-red Syrah rosé that explodes in full aromas of blackberries, cherries, plums, and strawberries. It has a balanced acidity and a soft finish that goes down easy.

Where to find it: Celler Can Dani (c/ Travessera de Gràcia, 119), Celler Florida (c/Floridablanca, 112), and Bodega Bonavista (c/Bonavista, 10)

The Grandfather of Cava

Originally published at BCNMés.

He grabs my arm and holds it tight. It’s a firm grip for an old man, surprising given his small stature. The grandfather of cava, Agustí Torelló Mata, looks up at me, eyes twinkling, ready to divulge all the secrets of his prestigious bubbly. But first, a tour is in order.

It’s full verema (harvest) in el Penedès, and there’s plenty of action happening on the grounds of Agustí Torelló Mata, one of the region’s most prominent producers. The bottling machine is going at full tilt, a shuddering cacophony that shakes the underside of my skin. We peer down into the lethal looking press, a massive metal corkscrew tangled with the juicy remnants of its last round with the Xarello. Men move about, checking gauges, tasting most. I’m given a pull from one of the large fermentation tanks so I too can sip on the percolating juice. It’s grapey and floral and pure. The first tastes bode very well for the harvest, they tell me.

I’ve come to investigate the Kripta, which caught my eye for its unusual, ovoid shape. Its bottle sports the rounded base of an old Roman amphora, a tribute to times past, though not ones we can remember. Nevertheless, there’s something nostalgic about it. The bottle is an elegant expression of the delicate, aged cava inside.

We descend into the cellar for a break from the noise. It’s quiet down here, a zen pocket far from the hustle upstairs. There’s jazz piping through the room, blasting through the bubbles quietly percolating in the dim light. I like to imagine them dancing.

What to try: If you’re splurging try the Kripta Gran Reserva 2008 (€53), if for no other reason than being served a bottle with its very own stand. The Reserva Barrica 2010 (€21) offers a similar taste, though, without breaking the bank. It has an elegant creaminess with flavors of cooked apple, notes of toasted vanilla and brioche, and subtle balsamics that reveal its complexity and balance. For a fresher option, try the Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2011 (€14). It’s clean and fruity, with notes of apple and caramel against a backdrop of fresh herbs and minty balsamic.

Where to find it in Barcelona:
El Petit Celler • Carrer de Beethoven, 8, Sarrià
Vila Viniteca • Carrer dels Agullers, 7, El Born
Quimet & Quimet • Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes, 25, Poble Sec

A Trip Up the Loxarel Rabbit Hole

Originally published in BCNMés

“We also make wine for ourselves that we stomp with our own feet. Want to try it?” Nervous laughter and then a resounding silence emanates from the group. It soon becomes clear that ‘no’ was never an option.

Josep Mitjans is walking full steam ahead toward a corner of the Loxarel warehouse. He invites us up into the refrigerated truck carefully, one by one. “Cuidado. The floor is all ice,” he says. Like a gentleman, he grabs my hand and helps me up attentively. The air is freezing inside, a shock after the warm hive of the warehouse. In the corner is a knee-high stainless steel vat, some plastic tubing, and a pipette. He hands us each a glass, draws a small amount of liquid out, and shoots it into our glasses. The color is vivid and pleasing, like the meat of a pale plum. It petals the nose with a waft of rose. Our trepidation falls away with the first sip. It’s juicy and drinkable, and we laugh and forget for a moment where we are.

Loxarel’s tours are all about small surprises. One moment you’re touching dusty cellar walls that once offered shelter from bombs, the next you’ve popped out into a sunny vineyard via a tiny door that makes you wonder if you’ve fallen down some sort of rabbit hole. Or up it, as the case may be. The two donkeys, ever playful, are also a delight.

It’s surprising to find 31 still wines and cavas on the catalogue of a small producer. Yet, from the passion Josep exudes, it’s not hard to understand why. His organic and biodynamic practices reveal a great deal about the focus and energy he puts into his wines. Tasting their pure brilliance reveals the rest.

What to try: If I could, I would encourage everyone to grab a bottle of the impressive 720 Pecats (“Sins”), but it’s not out yet. For now, tuck into a bottle of the amphora-fermented À Pel, from his natural wines collection, a dark, intense beauty with a nose full of black cherries, dried fruits, hazelnuts, and almonds (11,55€) . His EOS Syrah with swirling aromas of licorice, coffee, cacao, cherries, violets, and Mediterranean herbs captivates equally (10,50€).

Where to find it: Nomm (Avinguda del Paraŀlel, 130), Pollería Fontana (Carrer de Sant Lluís, 9), Álava de la Cruz (c/Corsega, 544)

A Rockstar in a Farmer’s Body

Originally published in BCNMés.

In the middle of the Còsmic Cellars vineyard is a tree. He points it out, calls it the best tree to meditate under. He stops to caress a leaf, and then another as we walk between the 60-year-old vines that inhabit this small plot in Agullana, high in the Alt Empordà.

Salvador Batlle is a young Catalan winemaker whose biodynamic project, Còsmic Cellars, has made waves in Catalunya since his wines were picked up by El Celler de Can Roca several years ago. He’s followed, mostly, in his father’s footsteps, yet has carved his own way in the world of wine. Salva’s a bit of a rockstar, clothed in a farmer’s body. He’s humble, to be sure, but his wines are top shelf, and he knows it.

All monovarietals, his wines are the truest expression of his grapes: Macabeu, Marselan, Carinyena Negre, Sumoll, Sauvignon Blanc. At the hands of such a talented winemaker, they pour forth character. His wines sing with an acidity from the sandy granite soil that many winemakers in Catalunya prefer.

Salva’s routines follow the biodynamic calendar. He works with quartz crystals, cow horns, and sacred geometry. He works with instinct and passion. He strives to make wines that distinguish themselves.

His wines earn names that are almost spiritual in their significance: Llibertat, Passió, Essència, Paciència. No matter how you call it, it all amounts to the same thing: gratitude. True respect for Mother Earth gets you a damn fine glass of wine.

What to Try: All of Salva’s wines are good, but a couple truly stand out. Natural wine lovers will appreciate the funky, blooming nose on his Valentia Carinyena Blanca (€17.30), with notes of baked apples and floral touches, which pairs perfectly with grilled sardines. Essència (€26.95), his dessert wine, is a knock-out, offering a bright burst of acidity balanced by notes of ripe apricots, hints of toffee and caramel, and a soft hit of umami. It pairs well with simple desserts like mató, or anything chocolate.

Where to Find It: Vila Viniteca (Carrer dels Agullers, 7, El Born), La Volátil Wine Bar (Carrer de Muntaner, 6, Sant Antoni)

Visits: Guided visits (1.5 – 2 hours) with tasting can be arranged in advance by email.

Plaça Maria Teresa Pallejà, 3
17707 Agullana (Alt Empordà)
Tel. 639 338 176
info@cosmic.cat

Wine, EmpordàMelissa Leighty
The Wines of Terramoll: A World Apart

Originally published in Avina Wine Tools

In Formentera, there are eight different winds, and each one has a name. They feature prominently in the evening newscasts, but also in the sixth sense of the island’s farmers, who use them to make decisions about protecting their gardens and their grape vines, which are a staple in almost every yard on the island. A wind blowing from the peninsula towards the island rarely carries rain. Likewise the Xaloc from the south, from Africa, is also often a dry wind, while the the easterly wind coming off the sea, the Llevant, will bring rain.

Enologist José Abalde is explaining the fundamentals of weather to me as we stand in a patch of lumpy clay in the vineyards of Terramoll, one of the only two vineyards found on the tiny Spanish island of Formentera, a scant 14 miles and 30 minute ferry ride off the coast of Ibiza. Formentera is the smallest sister of the four Balearic Islands, little more than an 11 mile long strip of UNESCO protected space in the middle of the Mediterranean. Although small, the island has long been a haven for ex-pats, models, and tired party-goers seeking some space.

With such little space to offer for agriculture, Formentera seems an unlikely place to find incredible wines, but indeed it is. Terramoll is situated in a privileged spot on a high plain, known as the Mola, on the northeastern end of the island, a couple of minutes drive from the village of Pilar de la Mola. When I stopped in Sant Ferran on my way there and asked some locals to point me in the direction of the vineyard, my inquiry was met with blank stares. I was confused as to how, on an island with a winter population of just under 12,000 people, no one in the office had ever heard of a place only fifteen minutes down the road. When I told them about where the vineyard should be, one of them gestured off down the road in the direction I was headed, and said, “That way. It’s another world out there,” and shrugged. He wasn’t wrong. After you pass Es Caló, the small inlet on the northern side of the narrow isthmus, the road climbs almost 400 feet up from the sea through a heavily forested area, filled with switchbacks and a few unimpeded views of the dazzling aqua water below, and spits you out onto an arrow straight road headed toward Far de la Mola, the lighthouse at the easternmost tip of the island. The drive is nothing short of spectacular, especially by moto, and is one of the highlights of visiting the winery.

José is bringing me to a patch of newly planted land, dotted with slender new vines. They are obscured by white plastic cones, which help stabilize and protect them against the island winds while they grow tall and strong. The clay-colored soil beneath our feet is dry and crumbly, and shifts easily as we walk across the vineyard, causing me to stumble more than once. Terramoll is a family name, although I can’t help thinking of the irony of it: in Catalan, the words terra moll translate directly to ‘wet earth.’ As the southernmost and mildest of the Balearic Islands, Formentera sees less than 17 inches of rain a year, and April is the wettest month in spring, usually seeing about an inch and a half of rain. Even today, on a weekday late in April, the sun shines brightly on the vines’ new leaves, the sky absent of clouds.

“From May to September, not one drop of rain falls. It’s a very extreme climate,” José explains.

“The soil itself very poor. It has a lot of limestone but little organic matter. Both fig trees and the vines do well because they’re very resistant plants.”

Although it seems like paradise, being island bound presents its own problems for wineries. The sea imparts a high salinity to the wines, which can be a mark of character for Mediterranean wines but also a problem for the high humidity it produces. At the same time, the soil is very dry, and since winemakers can’t water the vines, fresh water being a precious commodity on the island, drought is the biggest problem they face. For the last three years, in fact, Terramoll’s vineyards have been suffering from a lack of water, and some of the vines ultimately die off because of it.

Indeed, a lot of the labor of the land is related to maintaining the right kind of soil for the plants to survive in. Because the chalky limestone soil is very poor, winemakers have had to remove some of the topsoil in order to allow the vines’ roots to penetrate more deeply. This helps them reach better nutrients but also secures them against the the heavy, near constant winds that blow across the island, threatening the vines’ tender branches. Because farmers used to have to do all this by hand, instead of collecting all the rocks into giant piles, they would use them to make the walls that are such an iconic of the island landscape. These walls helped to delineate land and also to protect the vines from the winds. Despite the vines’ ability to survive against the drought-like conditions, wind is another persistent issue on the island, even in the forested area where the winery and some of its vines are located.

It’s difficult to understand the power of the wind on a gorgeous spring day such as this one. Birds are chirping loudly and the vines are rustling softly in the breeze. The sky is an electric blue. It is the definition of a perfect day. However, those who understand the landscape are privy to nature’s hidden threats. The trill of birdsong to an innocent visitor, for example, bodes differently to an experienced viticultor. On Formentera, as in Ibiza, winemakers struggle with a plague of Palomas Silvestres–wild pidgeons in regular parlance–who eat the grapes. They use scarecrows and other methods to control them, but the birds, which number 200 or more, can nevertheless be incredibly destructive, especially for the parcels which abut the forest. In half an hour, they can swoop down and eat everything. There are certain parcels, José tells me, where they have eaten 70% of the grapes.

Despite the challenges they produce, the conditions on Formentera are nevertheless ripe for good wine. The wind is often harsh and the climate dry, which helps prevent rot and also forces the vines to struggle. The deeper they dig to find solid footing against the wind and moisture, the better grapes they produce. The varietals that Terramoll works with are native ones that have adapted themselves well to the climate. Although Terramoll only opened in 2000, many of its vines have been in place since Roman times, although the island itself was occupied as early as 2,000 BCE. The Carthaginians were the first to settle before the Romans came, who were eventually were toppled by a dizzying succession of rulers–the Visigoths, the Byzantines, the Vandals, the Arabs–until the island was settled by the Crown of Aragon early in the 13th century. Evidence of this long history is marked in several places along the roads traversing the island, where archaeological sites lend insight into the island’s colorful past.

In order to teach me all of this, José has brought a map. He gestures to a colorful depiction of the island, which shows the important role that the monastery has played in the island’s winemaking history. There are even parchments, he explains, which reveal that three monks of the Order of Saint Augustine were already cultivating wine as early as 1246. In fact, right across the road from the winery are the ruins of the monastery of Santa María del Camí. The monks’ work was a vital part of developing the local culture and helping the community thrive.

The act of drinking wine is so imbued with pleasure now it’s easy to forget that it was once a means of survival, valued as a food for the calories that it imported to a person’s diet. On Formentera, a landscape of limited means, cereals like wheat, barley, and oats were an important part of the diet, as were dried figs in the winter, fish, and wine. For this reason, wine used to be something that people on the island made at home, and each family had vines in their own yards, something still in evidence today. Although the locals don’t depend on wine as in the past, many nevertheless continue to make wine at home for fun, and each year a competition is held to determine the best homemade wine on the island.

Terramoll works with a number of varieties of native grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Monastrell from which they make their own monovarietal wine, as well as a number of white varietals including Viogner, Malvasia, Garnatxa Blanca, and Moscatell. They prefer native grapes for their adaptability and resistance to diseases.

“This parcel was started from vines that are 50 years old, which were themselves taken from vines that were 40 years old, and so the genetics are so old that they are completely adjusted to the climate and not a lot of diseases affect them,” José explains. “Because they’re so well adapted, it’s not necessary to use pesticides.” Although it doesn’t have its seal yet, the winery is ecological and organic, and certain parcels are biodynamic as well.

“The grapes are naturally organic and healthy, and you can eat them right off the vine. It’s very historic and something really unique,” he says. “Winemakers who come from other places are impressed by the quality of the vines on Formentera.” Not only is the history impressive, but it also means there’s a lot of potential.

José’s objectives for the vineyard tie back to its history and its viticultural traditions. His short-term goal for Terramoll is to see it officially declared free of phylloxera. Once that’s done, he hopes to expand production little by little, although not at the expense of quality. It’s become quite clear during our short time together that he’s committed to the vineyard’s continued success.

José has been making wine in Formentera for eight years, and he’s proud of its history and the wines he helps to produce. Originally from Galicia, he’s made wine in Chile, France, and different regions of Catalunya, including the D.O.s of Conca de Barbera and Terra Alta. Each, he says, has its good and its bad. In a place as beautiful as Formentera, however, it’s easy to imagine there’s little incentive to leave.

“There’s very little stress here,” he admits with a smile.

After our short tour of the property, we head inside the warehouse where a set of 10 tall stainless steel fermentation tanks are housed alongside pallets of bottles. The labeling and corking equipment are pushed to the side for the off-season. Along one wall is a stainless steel shelf covered in scales, glass pipettes, sensors, analyzers, test tubes, maps of the island, and a collection of open wine bottles. It looks part mad scientist, part drinking station. José jogs off upstairs to grab us some wines to taste, and brings back a small selection of what’s open. The wines are refreshingly cold after our time in the sun. Even the red has been chilled down to almost 11 degrees, not atypical for island reds.

We try a few from Terramoll’s catalogue, which include a white, a red, and a rosé, as well as a limited edition red, a sweet white wine, and a sparkling wine, labeled as a pétillant. Like French crémant is to champagne, pétillants are the equivalent of cava, but labeled under a different name since they aren’t produced in the same officially designated region as cava. While they plant whichever varietals adapt well to the climate–from Cabernet Sauvignon to Monastrell to Malvasia–most of what they produce is white, a necessity in an island location where drinkability is a top factor in sales. Like many island wineries, much of their production is sold locally. Indeed, 80 to 85% of Terramoll’s wine is sold in Formentera and Ibiza, while the rest is divided between Mallorca, Barcelona, and Italy as well, which is a new market for them.

José acknowledges the issue of temperature is a universal problem among the islands’ wineries. Visitors to Ibiza and Formentera want very cold wine, which means that red sales are particularly difficult. One solution enologists have focused on is to create red wines that are suited to colder temperatures. The reds tend to be lighter bodied and fruit-forward, with little oak aging. Despite the struggle to find the right balance, it’s no doubt that the end result is very agreeable indeed.

When to Visit: Late spring is the perfect time to visit the island, before the summer crowds arrive. Fewer businesses will be open, especially the beach side bars called chiringuitos, but the beaches, bars, and restaurants will be mostly be empty and the wildflowers will be in full bloom. September is also a good month, since most vacationers have fled by then, yet the weather will still be hot and sunny and many of the chiringuitos remain open until the end of the month. Even in the off-season, reservations for restaurants and wineries are, as always, a must.

Wines to Try:

Savina, 2016 (Viognier, Malvasía, Muscat, Garnatxa Blanca)

This is a young, refreshing white wine made up of largely indigenous grapes. It has an aromatic intensity dominated by white and tropical fruits, with a background of fennel and mineral. It’s a fresh wine with a good acidity, great breadth, and long persistence.

Rosa de Mar, 2016 (Merlot, Monastrell, Cabernet Sauvignon)

A pale rose color, this young wine has a good aromatic intensity with strawberry and other red fruits set against a fresh mineral background. Its freshness is balanced by a juicy, full body and a long persistence in the mouth.

Es Virot, 2016 (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)

This young wine is a pretty ruby red with an outstanding aromas of ripe red fruit with a woodsy backdrop and mineral notes. Aging in French oak for only 3 months which allows it to remain fresh and a good complement to light summer dishes.

To Visit:

Bodega Terramoll
Carretera de la Mola km. 15,2
La Mola – 07872 (Formentera)
+34 971 327 293
http://www.terramoll.es

Escape to Alella

Originally published in Catavino

“You can see that these are smaller, and they form more of a cone-like shape than the traditional round clusters you’re used to seeing,” she says pointing to a delicate looking bunch of grapes hanging from a sturdy vine. “That’s because they’re Chardonnay grapes, while the ones on our left are Pansa Blanca.”

The grapes glow green-gold in the light that shines on the grapes that hang hidden in between wide flat leaves. The breeze caresses the hill, providing a soft respite from the summer sun, while birds chirp in the distance. This is a kind of peace I’m always surprised to find so close to Barcelona. In this moment, it’s easy to see how someone can fall in love with winemaking. (photo by Alta Alella)

Our tour guide leads us down the wide aisle between the two different plots of grapes, teaching us as we walk about the grapes, organic methods of production, watering methods, and harvesting, in addition to the long and interesting history of the winery. It’s more of a crash course in winemaking than a traditional tour and easily the best I’ve ever experienced. Even as we reach the end of our nearly three-hour tour of Alta Alella Privat, I’m still learning something new.

Indeed, when I check my watch I’m shocked to find so much time has passed. After a last tour of the production facilities and the cava caves, we are whisked inside for a healthy sampling of their wines and cava. It’s one of the most pleasant afternoons I can recall in my time in Catalunya. Escaping the city to see the real the countryside, to hear its history, and to get to know the ways of the local people is priceless. Given its close proximity to Barcelona, Alella is the perfect place to do it.

History of Wine in Alella

Catalunya is well-known for its winemaking regions to its south and north, the fertile soils of the Penedes region, just outside of Tarragona, and L’Emporda in the north, where the wind and sea deposit rich minerals into the hardy landscape along the coast. If you ask an outsider how he or she feels about DO Alella, however, you might get little more than a blank stare. Yet, this largely overshadowed winegrowing region only 14 kilometres north of Barcelona has been on the map since Roman times, a fact which any winemaker in the area is proud to point out. It may be a small DO–currently it is home to only eight wineries–but its terraced landscape is home to a wide variety of grapes, among them the Pansa Blanca–also known as Xarel·lo–the grape that puts Alella on the proverbial map. The Pansa Blanca grape is a local classic that finds it way into most of the whites produced in the area. Like other Catalan wine regions, the DO also produces quite a few cavas.

If you reach Alella by highway, you can see the vineyards cascading down the hill toward the sea, which shimmers in the distance. Rising over 200 metres above sea level, Alella has a particular microclimate–mild winters and moderate summers with a strong sea breeze–that helps to maintain a consistent quality in the wines. Although it’s not a large DO, the vintners of Alella take great pride in the history of their region. The history of Alella as a winemaking region originated in the 3rd century BC, when the Romans had their foot planted fairly on Spanish soil. During the Middle Ages, the region became renowned enough that it began to supply the Crown of Aragon. Under the control of the families of Barcino–Barcelona’s original name–the land flourished and the vines grew noble and strong, remaining so until the appearance of phylloxera ruined the harvest in the late 19th century. Nevertheless, from the mid-19th to the mid 20th century, Alella produced wines that were favored by the upper classes of Barcelona and also exported to America, further growing its reputation. (photo by Vinos de Alella)

It wasn’t until 1953, however, that the region came into its own as a true D.O. In the 1980s, the housing boom transformed the landscape into what you see today, a gently rolling landscape dotted with the bright orange clay roof tiles of the houses nestled into the folds of the Rials Valley. Despite the urban sprawl, many of the original farmhouses (masies in Catalan) that used to dominate the landscape remain and have been largely passed down through the generations into the hands of today’s winemaking families. These beautiful old structures overlook the terraced land that makes up much of the region of Alella.

The Grapes

There are several varieties of grapes grown and cultivated in the Alella region. The queen of the region is the Pansa Blanca, the grape that forms the basis for most of the region’s whites. It produces good bodied wines which carry notes of honey, white fruits, ripe grapes, and fennel on the palate. Other white varieties include Garnacha Blanca, Pansa Rosada, Malvasia, and Picapoli, which is also found in the Languedoc and the Rhone Valley regions of France, and often used for blending.

The reds are fewer but have a longer tradition in the region. These include Tempranillo, Garnacha Negra, and Garnacha Peluda. The Garnacha grapes are floral and fruity, displaying a palette of aromas of black or red fruits from strawberries to dried figs. While you will find newer grapes that have been brought in from outside of the region–such as Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah–some of the local wineries prefer to focus on the local varietals in order to produce wines, which truly reflect the region’s history and soil.

When to Visit

The wineries in the region hosts tastings year round and makes a nice activity if you find yourself looking for an indoor activity on an overcast day. Yet, a walk among the vines on a warm, clear day is highly recommendable. The views are stunning and will give you a new perspective on life along Catalunya’s fair shores.

If you find yourself in the area during harvest time, it’s worth knowing that the local city council (the Ajuntament d’Alella) organizes activities for the Harvest Festival in early September suitable for the whole family. For the adults, presentations and tastings are given by the local wineries, while activities for children include a cutting of the grapes for kids over the age of 8 and wine education seminars and tastings for teenagers, presented from a responsible drinking perspective. (photo by Alta Alella)

We’ve featured four of our favorite wineries below, so you can get started making your plans to visit this historic region. It’s certainly possible to visit each one, but keep in mind that you’ll need to arrange your visits ahead of time.

1. Alta Alella Privat

Alta Alella Privat has the perfect perch overlooking the city from what they call their amphiteatre–a semicircular swatch of terraced land facing the sea. From there, visitors have views of the extensive property that holds each of their seventeen different types of grapes. They use Pansa Blanca grapes as the base for most of their white blends and for their signature line of cavas. In addition, they producing twelve different wines, from white to rose to red, but it’s the prizewinning Dolç Mataró, a sweet red dessert wine, that is one of its shining stars. With such variety on its menu, it’s not surprising that it’s not only one of the largest wineries in the area, but also one of the most experimental. Owner Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets is constantly looking for new ways to experiment, developing new blends that reveal the best of the grapes. In this vein, he and his team have started a new natural line of wines which are organically produced without the addition of sulfites, produced in their new architecturally impressive Cellar de les Aus (Winery of the Birds).

In addition to going on a tour and having a tasting of their line of remarkable wines, it’s recommendable to check the calendar on their website for upcoming activities, which in the past have included cava tastings, showcooking, poetry readings, and brunches.

To arrive at Alta Alella, you’ll have to get off in the Alella town center, at Plaça Germans Lleonard, and then walk up from there to the winery. It’s about a 20-minute walk uphill, so it pays to wear comfortable shoes, but the way is well-marked.

Camí Baix de Tiana, s/n
08328 Alella
Tel: (+34)
http://www.altaalella.cat/

2. Marfil Alella

Bodegas Marfil covers 50 hectares of land across several terraces in the region, allowing them to grow an abundance of different grapes–from both young and old vines–which find their way into one of the over 18 different wines, cavas, and dessert wines they produce. Join them for a guided tour or if you want to get a real hands-on taste of the winemaking experience, you can join them for a full day of events, including harvesting or pruning depending on the season, lunch, and a wine tasting and tour. Other activities they offer include learning about the history of the region through a dinner and tasting in a replica of a Roman table.

C/ Àngel Guimerà , 62
08328 Alella
Tel: (+34) 93 540 3842
comercial@alellavinicola.com

3. Bouquet d’Alella

Bouquet d’Alella is a small, family-run winery that offers a small production of wines made from mostly local grapes grown over thirteen hectares of land. The small operation produces five different wines, including two whites, two reds and a sweet wine, all hand corked and hand labeled. You can visit the winery for a tour of their beautiful facility and a simple tasting or you can elect to spend an afternoon with there and have a private picnic on a picturesque rise overlooking the sea. They will supply you with a treasure map to your secluded picnic spot and prepare all you need for a full picnic lunch, with local foods from the area, like cured meats, cheeses, Spanish tortilla, and a bottle of their white. They also host a summer solstice party and live music nights in the terraces.

c/ Sant Josep de Calassanç, 8
(Carretera BP 5002 El Masnou-Granollers km 2,5)
08328 Alella Barcelona
Tel: (+34) 93 555 69 97
bouquetda@bouquetdalella.com

4. Parxet

Most people who want to understand the Catalans’ obsession with cava head south towards Penedés to the big houses like Freixenet. If cava is your thing, consider paying a visit to Parxet, a vineyard dedicated exclusively to cava production. With three cavas in their Titiana label and seven in their Parxet label, you’ll have plenty to try. Learn the differences between a brut natur and a brut reserva, try a rosé dessert cava made from 100% pinot noir grapes, or compare a Chardonnay cava to a Pansa Blanca cava. You can even organize a gastronomic tasting held inside their beautiful old farmhouse, Can Matons, pairing delicious local dishes with their house wines.

Parxet S.A.
Mas Parxet 08391
Tiana (Barcelona)
Tel.: (+34) 93 395 08 11

Getting There

Each of the wineries can be reached by public transportation from Barcelona, although the most direct route, of course, would be by car. The train is a fast and direct way to get out to the Alella region from the city centre. Take the Rodalies train from Plaça Catalunya to the Masnou station. When you exit the train, you will take the stairs down and make a left in the tunnel, toward the water. You will come up to a parking lot facing the marina. Make a right and head to the end of the parking lot. Just to your left, you will see a small bus stop. The local buses (#646 and #690, operated by Sagalés) both run from the marina into the city centre of Alella every half hour, Monday through Saturday. You can use the regular Barcelona metro card on the local buses. There is also an express bus that runs between Alella and Barcelona’s Plaça Urquinaona, with a stop near Sagrada Familia.

Depending on which winery you want to visit, you will have to get off at the nearest stop and walk to the winery entrance. Taking a taxi from the Masnou station is a more direct route, but they are quite hard to come by along the main road. It would be best to have someone at the train station call you a taxi if possible or arrange for transport with the winery ahead of time.

Other Vineyards in Alella

Bodegas Roura: http://www.roura.es
Marques d’Alella: http://www.marquesdealella.com/en/vins.php
Cellar Can Roda: http://www.doalella.org/celler-can-roda
Serralada de la Marina: http://www.serraladadelamarina.com/
Cellar Joaquim Batlle: http://www.doalella.org/celler-quim-batlle

If you’re needing a customized trip to Alella – exploring the food, wine and culture – don’t hesitate to contact us! We’re more than happy to show you around a hidden gem in Spain!

Cheers,

Melissa Leighty