Celler Cal Pla
The Sangenis family, one of the oldest grape-growing families in Catalan DOQ Priorat, historically sold their grapes to the local cooperative. Jaume and Mercé Sangenis expanded their holdings with the purchase of the Mas d’en Compte estate and a ruined house which they renovated to make a winery.
This was ready for when their son Joan completed his oenology studies in 1996 when they began Celler Cal Pla to bottle under their own label. Based in the village of Porrera in Priorat, they own 20 hectares of southfacing vineyards with an average age of 50 years and several small parcels of 100+ year old vines of Garnacha and Carignan. The oldest vineyards are situated on steep slopes known as costers and the younger vines are found on the north-west facing terraces. Vines grow here at an altitude of 300-400m. The dark mineral topsoil called Llicorella, is a layer of decomposed black and reddish slate, quartz and particulate mica that lies up to 50cm deep over blue and reddish bedrock. It reflects sunlight and conserves night-time warmth. Roots are forced deep into these high mineral content rocks. Joan Sangenís is hugely talented and heads up the winemaking, firmly believing wine comes from great grapes not great hands, and accordingly spends ten months in the vineyards and only two in the cellar. The weeks of ploughing and dedication in the vineyard means they are herbicide and pesticide free and grapes are of the very highest quality. Harvesting is by hand, fermentations in stainless steel, and ageing in oak.
Spain
