What are the limits of wine growing in Spain? In a country shaped by mountains, climate change is pushing producers to look for increasingly colder sites at higher elevations. The latest venture of the Gramona family, an icon of sparkling wines in Penedès and one of the flagship producers behind Corpinnat, is based on Cerdanya in the Pyrenees, where winemaking is documented as far back as 1710.
At an elevation between 1,180 and 1,280 metres, this is one of the highest vineyards in Europe exploring the potential of mountain winegrowing. Vines are planted on terraces on steep slopes (there is a 41% gradient between the highest and lowest part of the estate) in Riu de Cerdanya, a village in the province of Lleida sheltered by the Cadí mountain range and close to the Cadí-Moixeró natural park. The name ''costes'' means hillside in Catalan.
Despite the extreme location, conditions are fairly favourable for winegrowing due to the greater amplitude of the valley and the fact that it runs from east to west instead of north to south, which means suitable exposures and more sunshine. Jaume Gramona says that the mild temperatures and the generous amount of light allow the grapes to ripen fully while retaining acidity.
The property has two zones: the hillside area totalling five hectares destined to still wines; and a plateau in the upper part where five additional hectares are set to be planted to produce sparkling wines. International grapes well adapted to cold climates, such as Pinot Noir, coexist with Catalan varieties that thrive at higher altitudes (Montònec or Parellada and Muscat). Pinot Noir, which accounts for two thirds of the surface under vine, is the dominant variety and the choice for sparkling wines. An experimental plot has been planted with indigenous cultivars that were on the verge of extintion such as Neral, Blanca Fina de Pedralba fine or Pyrenees 1. Their potential is being studied in partnership with INCAVI (the Catalan Institute of Vines and Wine).
As in Penedès, vineyards are biodynamically farmed and are free of pesticides and chemicals using natural preparations and relying on their livestock of cows, bulls and donkeys. Extreme climate creates additional challenges. Covering the vines with nets to protect them from hail and storms is a standard practice here.
Four still wines have been released although production is extremely limited for now and totals just over 5,000 bottles.
The range includes three whites and a red wine. Costes del Misteri (2,300 bottles, €23) is a 11% abv. Montònec (Parellada) that is fermented in equal proportions in stainless steel tanks and oak barrels and undergoes four months of ageing in seasoned barrels. There are two muscats, one dry and one sweet. Petit Costes (2,403 bottles, €15, 12% abv.) shows some unctuousness due to malolactic fermentation in barrel whereas Dolç de Riu ice wine is extremely scarce -only 152 bottles were made in its first vintage. The family has been producing a sweet wine in Penedès for a long time with grapes frozen with liquid nitrogen. In Cerdanya they can do the real thing now.
The sole red wine so far is Costes dels Espadats Pinot Noir. Grapes are fermented in 500-litre open casks and aged in 300-litre barrels. Once again, only a few hundred bottles have been produced.
