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 Sangenís I VaquéIn 1978 Pere Sangenís and Conxita Vaqué started replanting vineyards in the Priorat area near the town of Porrera. The land they selected had been in the maternal side of Pere's family, the Monlleos, since before the 1700s and had been used for vineyards for hundreds of years. In 1979 Pere and Conxita produced their first wines in the same small bodega that Josep Simo, winemaker and Conxita's grandfather, used nearly his whole life. It is in this small cellar on Plaza Catalunya that Pere Sangenís has continued to produce these grand Priorat wines. Pere's wines reflect a profound respect for the traditions of the region and are true classics. To obtain the best grapes one has to start with the best land, and this we have: permeable, South-facing slate soil (licorella) on steep hills. The influence of the sea breeze (Garbinada) softens the severity of the summer and allows proper photosynthesis in the vines. The maintenance of the vineyards is done with sheep manure and helps to relieve the hydro-stress in the summer by allowing the ground to retain more water. Harvest is done at the optimal moment of ripening and grape selection is done at the vine requiring several passes through some vineyards. At the winery, the de-stemming and pressing is done gently and slowly to avoid unnecessary damage to the fruit. During the first days of fermentation the temperature is kept to 29° C, then reduced to 25° C and finally to 20° C. The maceration of the wines used for crianza (ageing) lasts between 30 and 40 days, depending on the vintage. The pressing is done with a small capacity vertical press of 250 liters.
Tom Stevenson –Wine Report – 2005 – #1 “up-and-coming” winery  |