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Penedès, Spain

Cal Tiques

Àngels & Joan

After almost 15 years at the head of Recaredo, one of the most prestigious Cava houses in the region, Joan joined his wife Àngels to look after their family vineyards, and Cal Tiques was born. Wines with a Mediterranean flavour, magnifying local grape varieties such as Xarel-Lo or Macabeu...

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Cal-Tiques at a glance

CountrySpain
RegionCatalunya
VillageCal Rubió
Cultivated grapesXarel-Lo, Macabeu, Tempranillo
First vintage2015
Size10 hectares
CertificationOrganic agriculture (AB)
Our favoritesTiques, Joanots

the Xarel-Lo revival

Born in the Penedès, to a family with vineyards, Joan Rubió's path seemed clear. After attending the Taragona School of Viticulture, he returned to the family estate, selling the grapes to the large Cava producers in the area, as his parents and grandparents had done before him.

It was the meeting with Ton Mata, from the Recaredo winery, that changed his destiny. While supplying grapes to this prestigious Cava house, Ton, whom he had met at school in Taragona, decided to take him on in the family business. Two years later, Joan Rubió became technical director of Recaredo, a position he held for almost 13 years. It was during these years that he met Pierre Masson, the pope of biodynamic viticulture, during a conference the latter gave in Spain on the benefits of more responsible viticulture. Joan was captivated, at last a vision of agriculture that emphasised the "living" and the balance between the soil, the plants, the vines and the fauna. On his return, he set about converting the entire 50 hectares of Recaredo to biodynamic farming, a challenge that was equal to his ambitions.

In 2015, Joan decided to take the plunge, and Cal Tiques was born, "his" estate, which he manages with his wife, Àngels. 10 hectares of vines bursting with life, the result of more than ten years of organic and biodynamic work. Plants, flowers, strong vines and healthy grapes. Attention to detail is present at every stage of the winemaking process, from the choice of amphorae to the care taken during maceration.

The wines reflect this hard work magnificently, they are lively, expressive, deep and have a rare energy and minerality. Xarel-Lo is the main grape variety, but Joan and Àngels also work with Macabeu and recently with Tempranillo, thus completing their range with a light and easy-drinking red.

Each label, designed by a friend of the couple, tells a story, illustrating the wine. A refreshing vision of the Penedès to discover with no delay...

A quest for perfection

Joan and Àngels are perfectionists and do not want to leave anything to chance. So, in order to find the best possible amphorae for maturing their wines, they asked a friend, based in the region, to make them small jars using different types of clay and different firing points.

They then used these "reduced" models to mature wine in them for a few weeks, thus mimicking an evolution in large containers for several months; this is how they were able to quickly decide on the best amphorae to make for the maturing of their wines, leaving no single detail to chance...

The village of Cal Rubió, Spain

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