Vega de Ribes, a small family producer since the 1500's, is justly proud of its organic grapes and wines from estate vineyards that are located on the limestone soils of the Garraf mountain range, just 4km from the Mediterranean Sea. Producing a range of remarkable wines, their white wine production is truly an outstanding effort, showcasing some of the best that Penedés has to offer. Enric Barta has carried the torch of his ancestors far beyond where they may have imagined, as he took to the local grapes with great foresight, imagination, and immense respect. He was awarded the first Slow Foods Presidia Award ever given to someone for his or her work with a grape variety (the Presidia Project is dedicated to products that are nearing extinction), as he cultivated the few remaining plants of Malvasia de Sitges in the area (boasting history in the northeast of Spain for well over 500 years), back to health and great propagation. Taking this grape, Xarel.lo, and some Tempranillo as well, the wines of Vega de Ribes are elaborated naturally, with minimal (if any) sulfur use, spontaneous fermentations, and a wild terroir characteristic that is distinct and truly special.
vega de ribes 'vicèfal'
xarel.lo, malvasia de sitges The Vicefal is special new project that recently started because Enric’s son, Biel Barta (the newest generation to join the legacy) and his friend wanted to make a special and fun bottle of wine showcasing two of their regions most important white grapes. Hand harvested Xarel.lo makes up the majority of the blend, while 20% of Malvasia de Sitges complements with its aromatic and viscous quality. Natural fermentation in stainless steel lasted for about a month, where it then rested with its lees for several months before bottling, with batonnage and consistent exposure to oxygen in order to give it an ‘open’ character. Neither filtration nor use of sulfur took place before the wine entered into glass, and the outcome is a beautifully textured and alive Spanish white wine. A nose of caramel green apple, almond, and straw, leads to a palate of bitter melon, lemon/lime, and green apple. The mouth zings with ample acidity, but the weight of the wine is quite present too, offering texture yet staying fresh. |
vega de ribes 'sasserra'
100% malvasia de sitges The Sasserra is one of the hallmarks of the cellar Vega de Ribes. It is made from the medieval Malvasia de Sitges grape, which was almost extinct in Spain before its recent revival by the Bartra family. The name comes from an old farmhouse at the top of a nearby hill (la Serra), which used to be named Sasserra back in the 13th century as tribute to the time frame when the Malvasia grape was brought to Spain. The estate farms only 3 hectares of this variety, and due to its finicky nature, yields are very small, and the grapes are hand-picked and sorted before going into its 2 week natural fermentation. It spends almost 1 year on its lees, before a light filtration, and bottling. It then spends copious time in bottle before Enric finds it ready for the market. This is an intriguing and complex full-bodied wine that shows its distinguished age in a perfect display of ripe, yet extremely well balanced, fruit. Hints of Meyer lemon, caramel, and marcona almongs, lead to a palate of rich and spicy character of yellow apple, lemon zest, white flowers, toffee, and herbs. Rich and multi-layered, the Sasserra is exactly what one hopes to find in aged white wine. |
vega de ribes 'ancestral'
100% ull de llebre (tempranillo) The Ancestral line of wines has been one of Vega de Ribes’ creative projects for nearly 20 years now, following the Ancestral Method for sparkling production and pre-dating the ‘pet-nat’ trend that has made this style so famous. Over the years they have honed their craft to achieve the perfect amount of pressure to offer enticing bubbles, while maintaining the right amount of delicious fruit and character, depending on the grapes in the bottle. This Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo) is a gorgeous example of everything going right, having begun a natural fermentation in stainless steel and then moved to finish in the bottle when the sugar is at 24g/l. After 22 months of aging on lees, it was disgorged and corked to release for sale in very limited quantity (900 bottles!). The aromas are packed full of ripe wild strawberries, cranberry, red apple, and an alluring musky earthy tone that mixes with the release of CO2; all of which leads to a vibrant and bubbly palate loaded with red berries and tangerine, yet has a tannic grip that is backed with bitter almond, rose petals, and sweet tobacco spice. |