Partida Creus
Partida Creus is one of the more iconic names in natural wine. Set up in Catalonia in Spain by Massimo Marchiori & Antonella Gerona in 2001, this famous natural winery is committed to reviving old vines of indigenous and lesser-known grape varieties.
Reviving indigenous Catalonian grape varieties
Massimo Marchiori & Antonella Gerona, an Italian couple originally from Piedmont, started Partida Creus in 2001 after moving to Bonastre in Narboneta, in Catalonia, to grow fruits and vegetables. When the local wines didn’t meet their standards for quality natural wine, they decided to make their own!
Patrida Creus is special in that unlike the locals, Massimo and Antonella took a chance on old vines of regional grape varieties - meanwhile, their neighbours thought they were crazy to not tear them up in favour of growing more mainstream, profitable grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Their vineyards are mainly old, low-yielding vines of grape varieties that were long considered obsolete by other winegrowers in the area: Sumoll, Garrut, Trepat, Bobal, and Cartoixa among others. Whenever an opportunity arises, they buy or lease vineyards with such vines from neighboring winegrowers in order to farm them organically - they even accepted an abandoned plot of Bobal bush vines even though it was 400km from Bonastre in Narboneta!
Patrida Creus is special in that unlike the locals, Massimo and Antonella took a chance on old vines of regional grape varieties - meanwhile, their neighbours thought they were crazy to not tear them up in favour of growing more mainstream, profitable grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Their vineyards are mainly old, low-yielding vines of grape varieties that were long considered obsolete by other winegrowers in the area: Sumoll, Garrut, Trepat, Bobal, and Cartoixa among others. Whenever an opportunity arises, they buy or lease vineyards with such vines from neighboring winegrowers in order to farm them organically - they even accepted an abandoned plot of Bobal bush vines even though it was 400km from Bonastre in Narboneta!
Refreshing low alcohol, high acid wines
In the vineyard, everything is farmed organically, no pesticides are used, and grapes are hand harvested with the help of his friends Orazio and Vincenza (a donkey and a mule).
In the cellar, there is more observation than intervention, and very minimal use of sulfur, with some bottles having none at all. Cuvees are fermented in steel tanks, while single-varietal wines are often matured in various tyles of oak barrels.
The resulting wines have a fresh acidity, direct fruit, and are lower in alcohol - quaffable, refreshing, and perfect for a sunny day! Popular wines include their entry level VN Blanco and VN Tinto, as well as BB (made of Bobal), GT (Garrut/Monastrell), and XL (a pet nat).
In the cellar, there is more observation than intervention, and very minimal use of sulfur, with some bottles having none at all. Cuvees are fermented in steel tanks, while single-varietal wines are often matured in various tyles of oak barrels.
The resulting wines have a fresh acidity, direct fruit, and are lower in alcohol - quaffable, refreshing, and perfect for a sunny day! Popular wines include their entry level VN Blanco and VN Tinto, as well as BB (made of Bobal), GT (Garrut/Monastrell), and XL (a pet nat).
