THE ESTATE
OUR SURROUNDINGS
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Our environment defines us and is a part of our identity. Only by observing our surroundings are we able to understand where we are. We believe that knowing and respecting the environment in which we live is the most authentic way to show our love for this world.
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The Penedès
An ideal landscape
for winegrowing
This is a land of wines and cavas. Indeed, the Penedès is the region that saw the birth of cava. In a privileged geographical location, a plain hemmed in by mountains that separate it from the sea and protect it from the winds, it typically has a mild climate and permeable soil, rich in phosphorus, which is ideal for winegrowing. Nevertheless, it comprises various different geological structures, giving rise to a diversity of soils, mesoclimates and altitudes that offer a range of possibilities for cultivating vineyards and making wines.
FONT DE LA CANYA
An estate that bears witness to the passage of time
The Can Fontanals manor house and estate is located just 100 metres from a 2,800-year-old site where historical references to the practice of viticulture and wine consumption have been discovered. At Font de la Canya, numerous archaeological finds have uncovered carbonized seeds of Vitis vinifera, Phoenician imported ceramic materials, and elements linked to the arboriculture of vineyards. So, we can say, modestly but with great pride, that the first documented vineyards in this part of the peninsula may very well have been those at our house.
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The estates
CAN FONTANALS, LA FASSINA AND LA GUÀRDIA
Can Fontanals, La Fassina and La Guàrdia are the three estates we maintain in unique locations in the Alt Penedès, where we grow the prized native varieties Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada. Also, with a continuing desire to understand the potential of our soils, we have planted some foreign varieties, including Pinot Noir. Given the diversity of the soils and mesoclimates, viticultural tasks are adapted to each variety. They are all managed in specific ways, always with respect to the expression of the terroir, which is the essential identity in all our wines.
Can Fontanals
The home estate
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Closest to the house and the winery, we think of Can Fontanals as the home vineyards. Located in the eastern part of the Alt Penedès, this privileged location benefits from a Mediterranean climate, with gentle daytime breezes and lower temperatures at night, and the thermal interval between day and night is perfect for optimum grape ripening. The soils are very deep, well-drained, with a loamy and silt loam texture, and small accumulations of calcium carbonate that ensure a balanced harvest even through years of drought.
La Fassina
The fertile estate
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The La Fassina vineyards is set along the border of the Avinyonet del Penedès municipality. Here we mainly grow Pinot Noir, and this is where our Blanc de Noirs and Rosé Sublim cavas are born. This is a very delicate variety, requiring fertile soils and great skill to achieve healthy and balanced harvests. La Fassina is characterized by a higher rainfall regime than our other estates and is protected from the easterly winds, which is why we believe it is the perfect place to grow Pinot Noir. The soils are fertile, very deep and well-drained, with a silty clay loam texture and small accumulations of calcium carbonate.
La Guàrdia
The high estate
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Rugged and high, the La Guàrdia vineyards are situated 350 m above sea level, amongst wooded areas with large varieties of bushes and plants of high ecological value. They are spread over five terraces to adapt to the steep terrain, and these are held in place with large stone slabs. The soils are well-drained, not very fertile, with a loamy texture and accumulations of calcium carbonate in the form of lumps, and poor in organic matter. The origin of these soils dates back to the Miocene epoch, 16 million years ago, when a large part of the Penedès region was covered by the Mediterranean Sea, and we frequently find marine fossils in the earth. The variety grown here is Muscat de Frontignan. The altitude of the terroir and the fact that it faces southeast gives it many hours of sunshine. The llebeig or garbí wind (southwesterly wind) and the migjorn wind (southerly wind) dissipate the humidity and soften the high summer temperatures.
