Alta Alella

Located only a few kilometres from the capital of Catalonia, Alta Alella is the nearest winery to the city of Barcelona. It was founded by Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and his wife Cristina Guillén with the aim of producing only top level organic wines and Cavas. To reach that goal, they bought Can Genís, an estate only 2 kilometres from Barcelona located between the towns of Alella and Tiana, in the agricultural area of the Serra de Marina national park.

All of the vineyards were certified organic since day one. The winery does not use pesticides, herbicides or inorganic fertilizers, employing only sulfur and copper hydroxide instead. Located at altitudes between 100 and 250 metres above sea level, the vineyards are planted in high-acidic, poor sandy soils – locally known as Sauló – with a very low water retention capacity. The winery grows a rich array of grape varieties. The red ones are Mataró (Monastrell), Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. As for the white ones, there is Pansa Blanca (Xarel·lo), Macabeo, Parellada, Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier.

Wisely designed to maximize efficiency and flexibility, the facilities of the Alta Alella winery allow for the production of small cuvées and micro-vinifications. All of the winemaking processes are carried out with the utmost care for the fruit, using only gravity. The red wines are produced performing punch-downs of the skin cap and pump-overs of the wine must to maximize tannin and colour extraction. All red wines complete malolactic fermentation, which takes place in barrels. Inversely, the white wines and Cavas do not undergo malolactic fermentation to preserve its freshness.

A branch of bodega Alta Alella, Celler de les Aus was created by the Pujol-Busquets family to go beyond the boundaries of organic viticulture in order to produce truly “natural”, no added sulfites wines through minimal intervention procedures.

Located in the Serralada de Marina mountain range, DO Alella, the vineyards are composed of sauló soils (a kind of decomposed granite) which are typical of the area. The winery Celler de les Aus currently produces a red wine, a white wine, a sweet wine, an orange wine (or brisat) and several sparkling wines, both traditional and pet nat. Fermentation can take place in stainless steel tanks or wooden vats. Some still wines are aged in oak barrels.

• Year of foundation: 1991
• Address: Camí Baix de Tiana, s/n
• City: Alella
  
• Province: Barcelona
• Zip code: 08328
  
• Country: Spain
• Phone number: 34 934 693 720
  
• www.altaalella.wine
• Guided visits? Yes
• Wine tourism services?  Yes

Designation of origin:

Alella, Cava

Red wine varieties:

Mataró (Monastrell), Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah.

White wine varieties:

Pansa Blanca (Xarel·lo), Macabeo, Parellada, Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier.