Tucked into the Massís del Garraf mountains, Can Ràfols dels Caus works at the nexus of innovation and tradition to make singular wines. The winery was founded when winemaker Carlos Esteva returned home from Menorca in search of a new challenge. Esteva now organically farms 222 acres of vines and makes estate wine in a cellar carved into the mountain. Committed to preserving heirloom varietals like Sumoll, the winery focuses on parcel winemaking to create expressive and authentic wines.
CLIMATE: Highheatdaysregulatedby proximitytothesea
ELEVATION: 984feet(300m)
SOILS: Dolomiticrockwithcalcium carbonateandmagnesium
CLASS: DOPenedès
In 1979, after making wine on the island of Menorca, Carlos Esteva decided to relocate to his grandfather’s estate, Can Ràfols dels Caus in Catalunya. His goal was to make quality wines with structure and character founded on sustainability. Carlos began restoration of the masia (a traditional Catalan farmhouse), introduced new methods of cultivation in the vineyards, and started to recover traditional varietals lost to history. Today, the winery is focused on organic farming and sustainable practices.
VINE: 222acres(90ha);individual parcelsdonotexceed5acres(2ha)
KEY VARIETALS: Xarel.lo,Sumoll, GarnachaandCariñena
ECO: Certifiedorganic;focusonenergy conservationandorganicfarming
INNOVATE: Pioneerinintroducing newvarietalsandpreservingheirloom varieties
Winemaker and Proprietor Carlos Esteva has dedicated muchofhislifetorestoringandexpandingCanRàfols.
The family affair continues, as two of Carlos’ three children are involved at the winery. Son Giaco is a designer and lends his creativity to the packaging, website, social media and others. Daughter Carlota was in charge of the wine tourism program, and now works in the general management of the winery with her brother-in-lawJordiEsteve.
CanRàfolsemphasizesbalancedcultivation of the vine, using only organic fertilizers, harvesting by hand, and relying entirely on spontaneous fermentations with native yeast. The winery practices ecological methods such as vegetable treatments to cut back on the use of sulfur and copper in the vineyard and cellar. Cereals and legumes are planted in parts of the estate to help control vine vigor, reduce erosion andpromotebiodiversity.
The Massís del Garraf mountain range defines theterroir.Rainfallisrareandthedaysarehot, butthehumid,coolingeffectoftheseaallows the plants to complete a full vegetative cycle. The ripening of the grapes is long, which favorstheconcentrationofsugarandphenolic maturity,producinghighlyaromaticwines.
Can Ràfols dels Caus is located at an elevation of 980 feet (300 m) between the valleys of two river beds, where the land has been terraced and planted with vines. Dolomitic rock predominates in what was a prehistoric ocean bed, rich in calcium (up to 40%) and magnesium, which lends the wines pronounced minerality and acidity. Crushed marinefossilscanevenbefoundintheparcels ElRocallísandLaCalma.
concentration,bothredandwhitewinesareparticularlyaptforaging.
CELLAR WORK Can Ràfols’ new cellar is intentionally designed to streamline the winemaking process. Completely invisible from the outside, the cellar is carved into the Garraf mountainside and totally integrated in the landscape. Distinct levelsintheinteriorenablethewinemakingprocesstomaximizegravityflows.
SUSTAINABLE WINEMAKING Can Ràfols is committed to sustainable viticulture without chemical fertilizers. All wines are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously. This produces high-quality wine that captures the distinct personality of eachparcel.
How is the terroir reflected in the wines of Can Ràfols?
The bare white rocks reflect the sun's rays, abnormally heating and drying the first several feet of the air that surrounds the vines. Plus, rainwater easily seeps through the cracks of the rocksandthethin,discontinuoussoilretainslittle water. All this means that, even in years with abundant rain, the vines can’t access it, and the drought increases. However, the influence of humidcurrentsfromtheMediterranean(whichis about nine miles away) help cool the air. This permits a longer ripening period and a greater synthesisofaromaticprecursorsinourgrapes.
CAN R FOLS DELS CAUS PORTFOLIO:
Rocallís, Gran Caus
Tinto/Blanco/Rosado, Xarel·lo
Pairal, Caus Lubis, Sumoll, La Calma
Additionally, the diverse flora around the estate, especially the numerous aromatic species such as thyme, fennel, rosemary and savory, are aromas thatarelaterperceivedinthewines.
Can Ràfols cultivates autochthonous and international varieties of grapes. This, coupled with the age of the vines, allows for the crafting of unique winesthatareclearlydifferentiatedfromothersinthe region.
is
Can Ràfols joined GPE in 2004 during the first expansion of membership, as the estate clearly shared the same mission as the founding members.
El Pairal DO Penedès
Varieties
100% Xarel.lo
Vinification
Spontaneous fermentation in chestnut barrels for 40 days.
Aged 6 months on lees, then 24 months in bottle
Good to Know
Chestnut barrels allow moderate micro oxygenation for this reductive grape
Gran Caus Blanco DO Penedès
Varieties
Xarel.lo, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
Vinification
2 years of bottle aging
Good to Know
Comes from 65-year-old Xarel.lo vines
CAN RÀFOLS DELS CAUS
Masia Can Ràfols dels Caus 8793 Avinyonet del Penedes Barcelona
Jordi Esteve