Celler Bàrbara Forés - Negre, Gandesa, Terra Alta, Spain (2021)

TASTING NOTES

A full-bodied, big red fruited wine with delicious refreshing acidity, bouquets of fresh herbs and lots of hot stony rocks. 

The family's great grandmother Bàrbara Forés, born in Gandesa on 7th February 1828 began growing grapes soon after purchasing land in Gandesa (2 hours south-west of Barcelona) with a winery to bottle wine towards the end of the 19th century.

In the 90’s, we Carmen and Manolo took over with daughter, Pili Sanmartín Ferrer joining in 2014.

TERRA ALTA is a region protected by sections of the Pre-Litoral mountain ranges of Catalonia, particularly the Ports de Tortosa - Beseit, Sierra de Pàndols and Sierra de Cavalls. It is surrounded by the Ebro, the Algars and the Matarranya rivers, with the Canaletes river going right through.

The climate in Terra Alta is Mediterranean with a continental influence: gentle autumns, cold winters, late springs and hot summers, with two dominant winds: the cierzo and the garbinada. The cierzo is a cold dry wind that comes from Aragón. The garbinada is a fresh humid breeze from the sea. Both winds present opportunities and challenges to viticulture, but essentially enables the Sanmartins to farm organically. 

The elevations between 350 and 600 metres above sea level and exposure of the vineyards guarantee many hours of sunshine, diurnal temperature shifts and rain levels never exceeding 450mm per year (and usually FAR less).

Certified organic by the Catalonian Council for Organic Agrarian Production (CCPAE), the winery's practices on the field go beyond simply being organic with biodynamic practices, regenerative soil management to protect the soil against erosion, reduce carbon footprint and increase biodiversity.

Celler Bàbara Forés is also mindful of reducing and minimizing non-renewable resources like water and fuels.