Certified organic. 65 year-old bush-trained vines. Fruit is all from a single vineyard called ‘Lo Mas del Surdo'. The grapes are hand-harvested and placed as whole clusters into the tank, lightly foot-tread, and left to ferment and age on the skins for 30 days. It’s then racked off the skins before aging. Aromas of pekoe tea over tangerines, palate is rich, round, energetic, and well-balanced, with slight but sensual tannins, tropical tones, and an earthy and herbaceous nuance.
We love it with: 🍤🌮🍗
Type: Skin Contact
Vintage: 2020
Size: 750 mL
Grape: Grenache Gris
Region: Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain
Vinification: Celler Frisach is Francesc and Joan Ferré, who make energetic natural wines in the Terra Alta appellation of Catalonia. The surname Frisach belongs to their great-grandfather; the name Ca’ Frisach still marks the family home on the main street of their village, Corbera d’Ebre. For over two centuries, the Ferré family has farmed grapes in this area, but it was only in 2009 after Francesc returned from oenology school that the brothers decided to produce their own wines and stop selling their fruit—a change that takes gumption here, given how rare independent family wineries are in Terra Alta, let alone in their proud-but-petite hometown. Francesc is one of the young stars in the thriving natural wine scene in this part of the world; you’ll see his wines on many lists in Barcelona and in well-regarded restaurants throughout Catalonia. He has a technician’s mind and is something of a perfectionist—but Joan teases that Francesc is as much astrólogo as oenologist. The desire for excellence doesn’t keep the domaine from experimenting, though; each year sees wines made with less and less intervention, lighter extraction, less power—into a more refined and transparent style. Joan and Francesc are also genuine farmers, occasionally up to their knees in mud, always in the vineyards actually doing the work. Today, the fruit of their organically-farmed 20 hectares is rendered into joyful, expressive wines, with many cuvées achieving better clarity each vintage.