Arrivals from Larural, Catalunya

LARURAL - XAVI & ANDREU PADRO
CATALUNYA (SPAIN) - SANTES CREUS

We've just received a very welcome top-up of the 2023 wines from Xavi & Andreu Padró - the brothers behind Larural - producing delicious, invigorating macerations from their indigenous Catalunyan varieties.

In October 2024, we visited Xavi & Andreu in the centre of Santes Creus to see the once-abandoned winemaking co-op that they will soon be moving their production into, just a few doors down from their cellar in the family home. Micro-winemaking in a cathedral for wine!

In a very memorable moment, the brothers and their childhood friend Albert cooked a beautiful pork and mushroom Arros a la Catalana - rice with pork, foraged mushrooms, and homemade aiolli. Perfect fare for the wines: juicy fruit, acidity and salinity playing beautifully with their big, smoky flavours.

A family feast before a visit to their little cellar beneath the family house to taste the nascent 2024 wines, and then later a trek up the hill into the vines to discuss soil health and Catalan indigenous varieties.

In 2018, Xavi & Andreu took over their family's vines 30km from the Mediterranean in the Alt Camp region of Tarragona. Farming organically, with 32 hectares under vine, the brothers only vinify a tiny portion of what they grow, with much of their fruit sold to other winemakers in the region.

They farm an array of indigenous varieties planted over clay-limestone, parcels comprised mostly of single varieties scattered through the hills around Santes Creus, up to 50 years old and between 240 to 420m above sea level: the Meditteranean influence is present!

Photos are from our October 2024 visit.

New From Larural, Catalunya!

After their first arrival last year, we are so excited to have a new tranche of releases from Xavi and Andreu Padró - the brothers behind Larural - delicious, invigorating macerations of their indigenous Catalunyan varieties.

In 2018, Xavi & Andreu took over their family's vines 30km from the Mediterranean in the Alt Camp region of Tarragona. With 32 hectares under vine, the brothers only vinify a tiny portion of what they grow, with much of their fruit sold to other winemakers in the region. 

Calcots season! Cooked over fire in the vines

Organic since 2015, they farm an array of indigenous varieties planted over clay-limestone, parcels comprised mostly of single varieties scattered through the hills around Santes Creus, up to 50 years old and between 240 to 420m above sea level: the Meditteranean influence is present!

Since 2018, Xavi & Andreu have made their wines in the basement of the family home, strictly no additions. Working simply with stainless steel and fibreglass, a small selection of barrels and glass demijohn -  all varieties see a few days of gentle infusion maceration and are very lightly basket pressed; yielding textural, aromatic whites, lively, bright roses and light reds. 

The wines are a testament to the brothers' attentive farming, sharp instincts for the ideal time to pick, and gentle cellar work: fresh, characterful and balanced. Brilliant, keen-eyed impressions of a beautiful region.

AVAILABLE NOW

SKINS

2023 - Macabeu

Hand harvested late-August, 2023, from a parcel at 316m above sea level, 24 years old. De-stemmed and macerated in stainless steel tank. Macerated for five days, gently basket-pressed, aged in fibreglass for 6 months before bottling with no additions.

2023 - Vinyater

Hand harvested mid-August 2023, from vines aged 50 years, located in Vila-Rodona, Alt Camp at an elevation of 284m. Grapes were destemmed and macerated in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was controlled at 24 degrees Celsius. Skin contact lasted for just 4 days followed by soft pressing. Aged in stainless steel tanks, no additions.

2023 - Moscatell D'Alexandria

Hand harvested late-August 2023, from young (7yo) vines, located in Santes-Creus, Alt Camp at an elevation of 340m. Grapes had 11 days of carbonic maceration in fibre glass, before crushing and a further 2 days maceration. No temperature control on fermentation. Basket-pressed softly. Ageing took place in stainless steel tanks for 6 months, no additions.

2023 - Malvasia de Sitges

Hand harvested late August 2023, from young (8yo) vines, located at an elevation of 363m. Grapes were destemmed and macerated 3 days in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was controlled at 21 degrees. Basket pressed softly. Ageing in stainless steel tanks for 6 months, no additions.

ROSE

2023 - Claret - Macabeu, Sumoll, Ull de Llebre

Hand harvested late August 2023, from vines aged between 6 to 35 years old, at elevations of 316-408m. Grapes were destemmed and macerated 6 days in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was controlled at 21 degrees. Basket pressed softly. Ageing in stainless steel tanks for 6 months, no additions.

2023 - Garnatxa Rosada - Grenache

Hand harvested late August 2023, from vines aged between 6 to 35 years old, at elevations of 316-408m. Grapes were destemmed and macerated for just six hours in stainless steel tanks. Fermentation was controlled at 21 degrees. Basket pressed softly. Ageing in stainless steel tanks for 6 months, no additions.

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