Brothers Andreu Padró and Xavi Padró started making wine under the name LaRuraL in 2018. Their family had been farming grapes and other produce in Santes Creus, Tarragona on their organically certified farm in the Alt Camp for four generations but had never sold their own wine. Xavi and Andreu fell in love with the vibrant natural wine scene in Catalunya and decided to make wines in the basement of the family home, leaving their careers in architecture and mechanics. From the beginning, the goal was to make fresh, light, natural wines without sulfur. Initially, they worked with an enologist, but, unhappy with the results, they decided to look to the winemakers whose wines they admired, like Oriol Artigas, Laureano Serres, and others for inspiration and education. Now, they work with stainless steel tanks, some barrels, and short, infusion-style macerations. The palindromic name, LaRural, honors their connection to the rural environment, and also (by using the feminine article La) their mother, who was the primary caretaker of the family’s vineyards before Xavi and Andreu took over.
The Wines
Parellada 100% Parellada from an organically farmed vineyard of 40-year-old vines planted on clay and limestone at 337 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The grapes were harvested by hand and macerated on the skins for 8 days without disturbing the cap, then pressed with a vertical press to stainless steel tank and neutral French oak barrel. The wine rested for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or sulfur addition.
Macabeu 100% Macabeu from an organically farmed vineyard of 24-year-old vines planted on clay at 316 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The grapes were harvested by hand and macerated on the skins for 8 days without disturbing the cap, then pressed with a vertical press to stainless steel tank. The wine rested for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or sulfur addition.
Vinyater 100% Vinyater, a rare variety with oval-shaped, loose-hanging bunches from an organically farmed vineyard of 50-year-old vines planted on clay and limestone at 284 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The vines are about 30km from the Mediterranean. The grapes were harvested by hand and macerated on the skins for 4 days without disturbing the cap, then pressed with a vertical press to stainless steel tank. The wine rested for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or sulfur addition.
Malvasia de Sitges 100% Malvasia de Sitges from an organically farmed vineyard of 7-year-old vines planted on clay and limestone at 363 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The grapes were harvested by hand and macerated on the skins for 25 days without disturbing the cap, then pressed with a vertical press to stainless steel tank. The wine rested for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or sulfur addition.
Ull de Llebre 95% Ull de Llebre, 5% Malvasia de Sitges from an organically farmed vineyard of 34-year-old vines planted on clay at 408 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The grapes were harvested by hand and half went through carbonic maceration for 7 days, while the other half macerated on the skins for 3 days without disturbing the cap. After fermentation, pressed with a vertical press to stainless steel tank and neutral French oak barrel. The wine rested for 10 months before bottling without fining, filtering, or sulfur addition.
Sumoll 100% Sumoll from an organically farmed vineyard of 54-year-old vines planted on clay and limestone at 422 meters elevation in Santes Creus. The grapes were harvested by hand and destemmed, then macerated gently in an underground stainless-steel tank for 8 months. The longer maceration and extended aging help to integrate the tannins. This longer-maceration style of winemaking is no longer Andreu and Xavi’s approach. Bottled without fining, filtering, or added SO2.
Location
General Info
Founded: 2018
Region: Alt Camp, Tarragona, Catalunya.
Town: Santes Creus
Climate: Mediterranean
Soils: Calcareous Clay
Vineyard Land: ~8 Hectares used for their own wines, 35 Hectares of organically farmed vines.
