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Celler Laureano Serres Montagut (Catalonia)
Laureano Serres took over the family vineyard, within the Terra Alta designation, in 1999. Since then, he has been growing his vines organically, and after a few years of traditional vinification he completely gave up the use of SO2 in the cellar. The low doses result from the sulfuring of casks and from the residue of the sulfur used in the vines to treat powdery mildew. He has never used any other additive in the vinification process. His aim, as he says, is to regain “the flavors of the wines of his childhood which reflect the climate’s, the soil’s and the place’s identity.”
The whites are vinified in vats, casks or amphorae, with long fermentations (several months), and then slowly decanted to be bottled without filtration. His reds are vinified variety by variety (maceration lasts 8 days), then vatted until December, when they are blended before being put into barrels for ageing.
Today, his little vineyard is planted with Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache and the local Bernacha Pais variety, as well as 1.5 hectares of Maccabeu and Grenache blanc.
The vineyard is established on clay and limestone slopes, oriented north and northwest, at an altitude between 200 and 400 meters.
Laureano is one of the major figures of natural wine in Spain; never short on ideas, his interminable Spanish-French-English sentences have become legendary.Discover Laureano Serres’ estate
Celler Jordi Llorens (Catalonia)
Jordi Llorens created his winery in 2008. Although most of his vines were planted in the 2000s, the depth and precision of his wines would have one believe they stem from older vines and an experimented winemaker.
Passionate and meticulous, Jordi does not use SO2. Located in the Conca de Barbera DO, his vineyard benefits from the Mediterranean sunshine and the coolness due to its altitude (600m).Discover Jordi Llorens’ estate
Vinya Sanfeliu (Catalonia)
JJordi Sanfeliu lives in western Catalonia, near Lleida. This continental area hosts the Costers del Segre designation.
Jordi mainly produces olive oil but he also grows a few hectares of vines. His wine are vinified without any input. This blend combines Lladoner Pelut’s delicacy and the strength of Tempranillo.Vinos Ambiz, SL Sierra de Gredos
Fabio Bartolomei has a little vineyard 50 km south of Madrid and another, larger one in the north, in the Sierra de Gredos. The old vines, neatly grown in the middle of a nature reserve, produce tasty grapes. Each parcel can be subjected to new experiments. Nothing is set in stone in Fabio’s work; the cuvées multiply according to the vintages and to the winemaker’s wishes. This is called freedom.
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Celler Escoda-Sanahuja (Catalonia)
Joan Ramon Escoda started creating his vineyard in 1998 by planting Merlot on uncultivated lands within the Conca de Barbera region. He pursued this path by clearing abandoned slopes out to plant Grenache, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Chenin, as well as olive trees. His meeting with some Loire winemakers, especially Mark Angeli, led him to grow his vines biodynamically. After selling his grapes to a local wine factory for a while (long enough to get his cellar ready), he started making his own wine in 2003 and took over some century-old vines of Carignan and Sumoll (the local variety).
Today he works 10 hectares located on clay and limestone plateaus and slopes, between 400 and 600 meters of altitude.
Since 2004 he has stopped using SO2 in vinification, also banning, of course, artificial yeasts or other additives. A low dose of SO2 is added upon bottling.
The macerations last for about two weeks, at a low temperature; the wines are then run off and pressed to be barreled.
Ageing lasts for 6 to 12 months, according to the cuvées. The wines are not filtered.
A very close friend of Laureano Serres’, they have been elaborating since 2009 a common magnum cuvée called Vamos, Vamos. This wine is a blend from their two cellars: a red wine in 2009 and a white wine in 2010. A joyful cuvée with no artifice that testifies to the local conviviality.Discover the Escoda-Sanahuja estate
Casa Pardet (Catalonia)
Josep Torres is a winemaker in western Spanish Catalonia, near Lleida. His 7 ha vineyard, cultivated biodynamically since 1999, hosts both local and international varieties. Its 400m altitude, combined with the dry climate of the area, produce fluid and fresh wines. The Cabernet Sauvignon cuvée, which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Trepat, is both light and deep.
Discover the Casa Pardet estate
Goyo Garcia Viadero (Castilla y Leone et Cantabria)
Goyo Garcia cultivates two vineyards: one on the clay and limestone slopes of Ribera del Duero, the other one in Cantabria, where his mother comes from. Finca el Peruco is an 80-year-old vineyard where Tempranillo stands alongside – white – Albillo.
Bodega Cueva (Valencia)
The Utiel Requena designation was created in 1932. Bobal is ever-present there in red wines, while Tardana is the local variety for whites. This low-alcohol variety allows producing surprisingly fresh “pét-nat” wines when over-ripened. Mariano develops this variety into several effervescent forms. This dry, SO2-free pét-nat measures 10% alc/vol.
Discover the Bodega Cueva – Mariano estate
