Grapes: Macabeu
Region: Côtes Catalanes, France
Vintage: 2023
Viticulture: Organic
Soils: Schist
Vinification: Direct press
Aging: Elevage in demi-muids and old barriques, no battonage
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None
Notes from the Importer: Col de la Dona, located in the foothills where France disappears into the majestic Pyrenees, is far cry from the ample vines of Burgundy. The almost-Martian landscape, at its most fertile, is dotted with garrigue and shrubs grown on a variety of ancient soils. Though at only a few hundred meters of elevation, the climatic shifts here are stark; brutal, cold and windy nights allow what few grapes do grow here to preserve benchmark levels of acidity for this latitude, for those who are brave enough to attempt it. It was Wilfried Valat, who discovered roughly five hectares of semi-abandoned vines here in 2007, who knew that this terroir was as perfect a place as any to conduct his experiments.
Born in Montpellier, Wilfried studied biochemistry in Dijon before working amongst the most storied sites in Burgundy, including for Méo-Camuzet in Vosne-Romanée, and for Domaine Joblot in Givry. His objective was simple: apply the techniques and artistry he learned in Burgundy to these southerly, dramatic Catalan climates. Less extraction, less new oak, more tension—the ultimate goal being balance and expression.
Today, Wilfried has amassed around thirteen hectares of vines, including his original five, planted mainly to schist soils (his favorite). The wines, like their maker, show a subtle and softer, poetic side in a climate often marked for boisterous, intense and overbearing juice. His labels—an allusion to his love of classic black-and-white films—evoke a nostalgic, pensive, and sultry sensibility. The finished product: nothing short of beautiful. A truly “new wave” approach to Catalan wines, epitomizing the belief that elegance can be birthed from even the most rugged exteriors.
