Castell del Remei

Populated by more than 50 families during the XIXth century, the Castell del Remei estate was founded in 1780 by the eminent Girona family. Consisting of more than 400 hectares with 80 dedicated to vine growing, the estate is formed of a castle, a church devoted to the Remei virgin (the estate even has its own zip code!), a restaurant, wine cellars, an olive and a flour mill, an old distillery, a barrel workshop and all the original family buildings in what was effectively once a completely selfcontained community.

During the first part of the XXth century, the winery was the largest producer of quality wines in Catalonia, winning numerous international prizes; but after the death of Joan Girona in 1950, and no heirs, the estate was largely neglected. During the following years, wine production lapsed, and quality suffered significantly given a lack of direction and commitment. Renaissance would only come when the Cusiné family bought the estate in 1982 and, with considerable investment and effort, immediately started restoring the estate to its former glory. Plantings of local varieties such as Tempranillo (locally known as Ull de Llebre) and Garnacha are complemented with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vineyards planted in the early '80s by the Cusiné family. In addition, revitalization has involved restoration/virtual reconstruction of the many original buildings. Highlights: Gotim Bru 2005 is made with Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha grown on the estate.

Aged in a mixture of American and French oak casks for 10 months, it is cherry-red in colour, with intense and elegant aromas of raspberries, black plums, cedar, and hints of roasted coffee. Balanced acidity, silky tannins and rounded mouthfeeling provide a remarkable tasting experience. With a high proportion of international grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, together with a small proportion of Tempranillo, Oda 2005 spends one year in new American oak and an additional year in French oak casks to produce a voluptuous and harmonic red wine of significant complexity. Flagship wine, however, is 1780, produced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Garnacha from the best and oldest plots on the estate.

Current vintage, 2004, has spent 15 months in American and French oak barrels and the resulting wine is a muscular yet stylish red of pronounced minerality, which is remarkably expressive and ever so long.