Let’s talk about Lledoner Roig: wine. Because lledoner roig (aka Grey Grenache), the grape, has always been in the Empordà. Lledoner Roig is the first 100% Espelt lledoner roig.

Lledoner Roig (aka Grenache Gris) is a grape that’s always been here. Since we started to work with the old vines in Rabós we found that there were pink grapes mixed in with the Carignan. Initially we were a bit at a loss about how to make use of them but in the end, we did what was done traditionally done which is to make a sweet Grenache wine with them. Although we love these sweet wines as they’re part of the Empordà tradition, we thought we could get a bit more from these grapes.

We saw in these grapes a jubilant personality with full aroma and body, versatile yet delicate. We thought ourselves fortunate as in our hands there was this little jewel with each more valuable than the last, only requiring that we carefully pass through every vineyard to find these small, treasured vines. We knew that this Lledoner Roig was fully Empordàn: unpredictable, delicate yet very strong, full of unconventional flavors and with good phenols.

With each harvest we experimented with this grape. The wines that emerged were full of character, a touch rustic and wild. When we started to know this grape better, we added it to the blend of Quinze Roures. Now, finally, we’ve dared to make a wine solely of Lledoner Roig as the singular protagonist.

What has ultimately come about is a white wine from grapes that you would never had known were pink. It has aromas of chamomile, orange blossom, and stoniness. The wood aspects are only sensed due to using large oak barrels for three years to accompany the wine but not disguise a single aspect. In the mouth, it is reminiscent of its good sibling, Llendoner Blanc, but it maintains an acidity like you would find in colder wine regions.

Want to know more about this unique local variety we’ve recovered? We tell you all about lledoner roig (the variety).