Work in the vineyard is tough, requiring observation and patience. The vines are subjected to all sorts of unkind weather! The grape picking teams know what it is like to work with the sun beating down on their backs. Once the grapes reach the winery, it is our responsibility to preserve the beauty of the fruit and the pressing is the first direct decision made by man.
Each delivery of grapes – which have been harvested by hand – is weighed and recorded when it reaches Celler Batlle, noting the variety, the parcel it comes from, and the wine it is destined for.
Each batch is pressed separately. We press whole bunches* to very low extraction and we separate the must into different portions. Last year, we were the first in Spain to acquire a Coquard press, inspired by the traditional champenoise presses, which include the principles of vertical presses but adapting these to 21st century technology.
For our wines we only use the tête and coeur de cuvée, the noblest parts extracted from the fruit. It is as if we were pressing each grape berry between our fingers: the ‘head’ has the best acidity and the ‘heart’ is the pure juice from the pulp, rich in sugar, producing wines of great finesse, subtle aromas, refreshing on the palate, and with good potential ageing.
One can only understand how to produce a must destined to become a wine for long ageing, through years of experience. Technology, procedures, knowledge and, above all, a great deal of intuition are needed to assess the potential of an embryonic must, which will become a wine, then eventually an exuberant cava, and finally, after 10 long years, a fine, long-aged sparkling wine.
Today we celebrate the first harvest, a coupage of 90% Xarel.lo and 10% Macabeo, of Celler Batlle and Enoteca, from biodynamic grapes, also vinified as biodynamic wines. The results will be revealed over time.
*The pressing of whole grapes prevents premature oxydation and contamination of wine. We obtain clean musts without the need to use any filtration techniques or settling, and we keep the must intact through natural filtering. We can thereby reduce sulphites by 50%.
