{"id":4263,"date":"2018-09-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-20T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paresbalta.com\/2022\/05\/19\/recovering-the-landscape-of-the-grenache\/"},"modified":"2024-01-11T10:08:18","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T09:08:18","slug":"recovering-landscapes-of-grenache","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paresbalta.stg.uzero.cat\/en\/recovering-landscapes-of-grenache\/","title":{"rendered":"Recovering the Landscape of the Grenache"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fil\u00b7loxera.
Fil\u00b7loxera. Apel\u00b7les Mestres. Llic\u00e8ncia CC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Grenache varietal is part of the history of Par\u00e9s Balt\u00e0<\/a>, where we have been cultivating this vine for centuries.\u00a0 We traditionally had a lot of Grenache and Sumoll vineyards in the Pened\u00e8s, but when the 19th<\/sup> century the plague of Phylloxera struck they were erased from landscape<\/strong>. Only a few vineyards survived. The majority were replaced by white grape varieties, because farmers were getting a better price.<\/p>\n

In the 50s and 60s, some years after this tragedy, farmers thought about cultivating some red grapes again. \u00a0Many people planted French varieties<\/strong> like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir, as these varietals were very appreciated worldwide.<\/p>\n

Despite that, at Par\u00e9s Balt\u00e0 we felt nostalgic. For this reason Joan Cusin\u00e9 Hill, the grandfather, who in his childhood had heard about Grenache vineyards in Pened\u00e8s, decided to recover the Grenache variety<\/strong>. He had the desire of returning to our roots. So, in the mid 70s he planted 3 fields of Grenache in Cal Miret<\/a>, near Sant Mart\u00ed Sarroca. \u00a0It is from here that we get the Hisenda Miret wine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Cal
Cal Miret vineyards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some years later, Joan Cusin\u00e9 Cusin\u00e9, son of Joan Cusin\u00e9 Hill, also fell in love with the results that this variety was giving to the family, \u00a0and so he planted even more fields of Grenache\u2026 but this time, on the top of the mountains! Everybody thought that he must be crazy. But Joan Cusin\u00e9 Cusin\u00e9 was undeterred.\u00a0 He was looking for a fresher and more unique Grenache<\/strong>. In the end, time proved him right. The family got what they desired: a Grenache with greater freshness and better expressions of fruit than the vineyards situated on even highest estates. With these grapes we proudly make our Indigena Red<\/a>, Indigena White<\/a> and Indigena Ros\u00e9<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Par\u00e9s
Par\u00e9s Balt\u00e0 highest vineyards.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maria Elena Jim\u00e9nez and Marta Casas<\/a>, the winemakers of Par\u00e9s Balt\u00e0<\/a>, explain that Grenache is a delicate variety. As it blooms early, the spring frosts could damage the flowers. When is v\u00e9raison season, the winemakers made the green harvest<\/strong>. It consists of pruning some grapes and leaving them to fall on the soil to get reducing the quantity of the grapes and improve the quality of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Indigena
Indigena negre from Par\u00e9s Balt\u00e0. Grenache.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Grenache is one of the last grapes that we pick<\/strong>. When we just picked we take fast to the cellar because the grapes could oxidize early. It\u2019s a complicated variety, but we love the result! The wines that we make with Grenache<\/a> are a little spicy with a lot of fruit, really easy to enjoy.<\/p>\n

These are the wines that we make with Grenache:<\/p>\n