Mas Marés

Mas Marés

For the first time since 1987, the lesser kestrel is recovering its population in the Alt Empordà. This summer, six years after the collaboration agreement we signed with Paisatges Vius and the construction of the nesting tower in our Mas Marès vineyards, a couple of lesser kestrels were seen nesting on the cliffs coasts of the southeast sector of the Park, very close to the vineyards.

lesser kestrel espelt

The lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) is a small colonial and migratory falcon that became extinct in Catalonia at the beginning of the 80s due to the loss of habitats and the indiscriminate use of insecticides in the countryside. In 1990, the Generalitat de Catalunya started a captive breeding and reintroduction project for lice that is currently continuing successfully in the Plana de Lleida where more than a hundred pairs are being raised. In 2018 Espelt Vinicultors and Paisatges Vius signed a collaboration agreement for the custody of the territory that promoted the conservation of the lesser kestrel in the vineyards of Mas Marès, in Cap de Creus. Today we see the results of this long recovery process.

The nesting tower at Mas Marès

The tower built from elements of sustainable and ecological architecture, thanks to the collaboration of Paisatges Vius, is located in an area of ​​great biodiversity that also favors the cultivation of vines. In addition, it is also an ideal place for the conservation of the lesser kestrel, a migratory bird of prey that feeds on large invertebrates and small mammals, birds and reptiles. The space represents the typical habitats of the Mediterranean mountains, a combination of dry pastures, steppe maquis and heather, cork and oak groves and vineyards and olive groves.

With this agreement, Espelt Viticultors demonstrates its commitment to the environment that surrounds it, beyond the organic viticulture it develops at Mas Marés. An estate where the vines mix with the cork, the pastures and the steppes in order to create an agrarian agrarian space of high natural value in which nature and viticulture coexist in harmony. This farm also produces Mediterranean wines, complex, intense and delicate, marked by the granite soil, the north wind and the sea wind, such as those from Anna Espelt’s project.

The lesser kestrel, a recovery project

Now, after many decades, this nesting species is being recovered in the Cap de Creus Natural Park, thanks to the hacking that has been done in recent years in nearby places such as Mas Marès together with volunteers from the Natural Park . The aim of the project has always been to consolidate the lesser kestrel population in the Alt Empordà, we achieved a milestone, but we will also need to be very attentive to:

  • Protect the current breeding colonies, as well as continue hacking the nesting tower at Mas Marès
  • Improve the habitat around the breeding colonies by continuing, among other actions, to improve the space near the nesting tower. The lesser kestrel hunts large insects in open spaces and therefore habitat improvement focuses on reducing shrub vegetation to create herbaceous habitats and to recover from dry stone walls.

Cheers to lesser kestrel!

The nesting tower at Mas Marès, after februrary 2022 fire.

Just a week ago Disfrutar was named Best Restaurant in the World according to The World’s 50 Best. Besides the immense joy for this recognition of the gastronomy, passion and honesty, we are also proud to have shared with them work and projects. In order to celebrate this huge achievement for our collegues, we wanted to recover the documentary that Cristina Jolonch and Samuel Aranda came to shoot at our home with chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas.

A moment from the documentary Sin Reservas with Mateu Casañas, Eduard Xatruch, Oriol Castro and Anna Espelt

About four years ago, in the middle of the pandemic, Cristina Jolonch and Samuel Aranda were filming the documentary series “Sin Reservas” and they asked us if they could come and record it in the vineyards of Mas Marès. On that occasion, they wanted to do a chapter with Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas, the chefs of the Compartir i Disfrutar restaurants. The proposal did not surprise us. In fact, we had been working together for a few years, Disfrutar and Espelt, in the production of an exclusive wine for their customers. The wine was a project born from the passion we share for viticulture and gastronomy. Thus, the documentary was an amazing oportunity to show the world our shared passion.

An unmissable documentary

The documentary ‘Sin Reservas’ of La Vanguardia’s Comer supplement pays tribute to a spirit of improvement of gastronomy professionals in times of pandemic through relevant figures of Catalan cuisine. Chefs such as Ferran Adrià, Martina Puigvert, Nandu Jubany, the Roca brothers, Carles Gaig, Paco Roca and Artur Martínez participate in there. Now, we get back to this episode starring the chefs of the Disfrutar restaurant Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas and directed by the journalist Cristina Jolonch and the photographer Samuel Aranda, together with the Story & Co Films team. In a few minutes, the camera accompanies the chefs through a journey from Cadaqués to some of the most emblematic landscapes of Cap de Creus. Among all the landscapes, the vineyard could not be missing, in this case those of Mas Marès where we make the Anna Espelt wines.

In the video, the chefs express their close professional and personal relationship. In addition, they recall with complicity and humor their beginnings in the kitchen of El Bulli, located a few km from the vineyards of Mas Marès. The way of working that characterizes them is reflected in their interventions: honesty, constant dedication and passion for their job. Some adjectives that all the journalists have agreed to point out these days.

Mas Marès és una finca agrícola situada al Parc Natural del Cap de Creus. El nostre objectiu en aquestes vinyes no només és treure’n un bon vi, sinó també generar Espais Agraris d’Alt Valor Natural. En els darrers vint any que fa que gestionem aquestes terres, hem fet tot el possible perquè l’agricultura i la natura treballin juntes per crear un paisatge harmònic i sostenible.


Des del primer dia que vam començar a treballar aquí, el 2003, teníem clar que havia arribat a les nostres mans un lloc singular, un balcó al mar, unes vinyes que s’hi aboquen amarant-se de salins i tramuntana, però també una terra plena d’història. Som conscients que hem d’honorar el llegat que la terra ens ofereix, és d’on traiem els fruits més preuats per viure, l’oli, el pa, el vi, l’aigua. Tenim un únic compromís: treballar la terra respectant-la.

Els orígens

Mas Marès està envoltat de monuments megalítics que daten de fa més de cinc mil anys, com el menhir dret a l’entrada de la finca que ens agrada saludar cada cop que venim a veure les vinyes. La terra, les pedres, han estat aquí molt abans que nosaltres i hi continuaran sent quan nosaltres ja no hi siguem. Des del megalític, les mans dels homes i les dones que han treballat aquesta terra han anat configurant el paisatge que avui veiem. La nostra responsabilitat és continuar treballant-la amb la màxima cura, per preservar-ne el paisatge i els ecosistemes de tots els seus habitants.

Abans d’arribar fins aquí, però, cal dir que el paisatge ha patit molts canvis. Les vinyes han format part del paisatge del Cap de Creus des de l’arribada dels grecs. Ara bé, va ser amb l’establiment del monestir de Sant Pere de Rodes, fa mil anys, que es va iniciar la substitució gradual de la vegetació natural per conreus en feixes sostinguts per parets de pedra seca. Això va comportar la construcció de centenars de quilòmetres de feixes i cabanes arreu del massís i la substitució de la vegetació existent, essencialment suredes, per un monocultiu de vinya.

Més tard, amb l’arribada de la fil·loxera, el s. XIX, les vinyes es van abandonar quasi totalment i la vegetació natural va anar recolonitzant el territori. La brolla —vegetació arbustiva baixa, que reneix després dels focs— va ser una de les plantes que va guanyar més terreny.

paret de pedra seca

Un mosaic agroforestal d’alt valor natural

En els últims vint anys, hem intentat recuperar tots aquests elements fins conformar un mosaic agroforestal d’alt valor natural. Primer, intentem que la brolla formi illes entre les diferents vinyes, que serveixen de refugi i lloc de nidificació a diverses espècies que utilitzen les vinyes per alimentar-se. Amb la florida de les estepes, farigoles i caps d’ase a la primavera, i dels brucs a l’hivern, els insectes pol·linitzadors hi troben aliment.

Tot al voltant de la zona on són les vinyes hi ha espais oberts, espais de brolla molt esparsa o prats secs pasturats per les vaques que baixen del Pirineu cada tardor fins la primavera. Aquestes pastures tenen un alt valor ecològic, ja que hi viuen plantes específiques, hi ha abundants insectes i proveeixen llavors que són aliment dels ocells.

En segon lloc, recuperem tant parets de pedra seca, com els suros, les zones de vegetació primigènia i més vulnerable. Per tal de conservar aquests suros, estassem de brolla del sotabosc. Això ajuda que hi hagi zones d’ombra i també zones aptes per a la pastura de les vaques durant uns mesos de l’any.

En aquests ambients oberts, adevesats, hi creixen plantes especialitzades i delicades, com ara diverses espècies d’orquídies, i són també refugi d’insectes i els seus predadors. Als suros hi fan niu alguns ocells, i molts d’altres els fan servir de talaia des d’on canten o espien les seves preses. També a les parets de pedra seca, que n’hem recuperat més de 3.000 m, hi troben refugi entre les seves escletxes molts animals —invertebrats, rèptils, amfibis i petits mamífers—. A més, ajuden a retenir l’aigua i evitar l’erosió dels sòls, per tant ajuden a mantenir l’ecosistema natural al voltant de les vinyes.

mosaic

Un tallafoc natural

Tot plegat conforma una franja resistent i protectora contra els focs forestals, que són part també d’aquest paisatge. El paisatge conreat i pasturat de Mas Marès actua com a franja de seguretat i protecció cap a la zona urbanitzada de Roses. El conreu ajuda a crear un tallafoc natural, amb poca càrrega de combustible i ajuda a tenir més eines per dominar-lo millor, i aturar-lo. Tal com vam poder comprovar a l’incendi del febrer de 2022.

Totes aquestes actuacions fan de Mas Marès un espai divers i afavoreixen la flora i la fauna salvatges, elements essencials per al manteniment d’un paisatge en mosaic d’alt valor. Amb tota aquesta feinada que portem a cap dia a dia, aconseguim un vins de gran qualitat i sentir que estem cuidant la terra amb la cura que es mereix, amb el compromís que tenim per preservar-la.

The harvest starts! Heat, drought, wild boars and all the variables you know make this year special. The harvest is a few days ahead and we have already started to collect the varieties of the plan and also the red hawthorn from Mas Marès.

August, the days are shorter and the heat seems to be giving us a break, at least at night. However, the high temperatures in July and the drought we are experiencing -it hasn’t rained hard for many months- have meant that exceptionally this year we had to advance the harvest by a good week.

We say exceptionally, but we know that this reality can be the general tone in the years to come. Climate change is unstoppable and we feel that we must adapt to it as best we can. Making progress in an integrated management of the territory, which takes into account the climatology, soil conservation and the fragile balance of the ecosystems, will favor that we can reap the benefits in the future as well. That is why, since we started the Mas Marès project, we decided that we would do everything possible to preserve the legacy that we as humans have received from nature. Land near the sea, with low bushes, corks and now also vineyards that favor the control and protection of unique species of Cap de Creus.

In these lands where Anna Espelt’s most personal project is built, a few years ago we planted Grey Grenache, with grafts from the old vines of Rabós. This week is the grape we start to harvest, this local variety of Grenache that is rosé. Planting local varieties has for some time been the most suitable decision for our land: they are more adapted to the territory and will therefore need less water and withstand the wind.

Emporda varieties, unique terroirs and a vintage that is just beginning. Happy harvest everyone!

Des que el 2004 vam començar a plantar vinya a Mas Marès, al Cap de Creus, sabíem que volíem respectar al màxim l’ecosistema existent i fins i tot aportar-li més riquesa. Us expliquem què és el mosaic i com el treballem a Mas Marès fins crear el que s’anomena tècnicament un sistema agrari d’alt valor natural.

Ja fa quasi vint anys que vam comprar les vinyes de Mas Marès. De seguida ens vam posar en contacte amb el Parc Natural del Cap de Creus per treballar conjuntament en la gestió d’aquell tros de territori. Les vinyes estarien inserides en un espai natural que estimem, calia fer-ho bé. A més, conscients que la mà dels ésser humans hi ha estat present des de fa milers d’anys (dòlmens i menhirs ho certifiquen) calia una gestió integrada de totes les terres.

Mas Marès i tot el Cap de Creus és un paisatge que meravella a tothom que ens ve a conèixer. Darrere de la bellesa hi ha sí o sí una gestió, imprescindible. El 2004 amb l’ajuda de Xavi Vilavella, tècnic del Parc Natural en aquell moment, i de l’Anna Sanitjas, enginyera forestal que va fer el projecte tècnic de gestió i millora forestal, vam idear la distribució del mosaic a Mas Marès. El pla de gestió de les terres tenien i tenen en compte uns objectius compartits:

  • prevenció d’incendis forestals
  • augment progressiu de la biodiversitat
  • protecció de les espècies en perill d’extinció
  • eliminació de plantes invasores

Els elements del mosaic de Mas Marès

El mosaic o sistema agrari d’alt valor natural fa el territori més resilient al canvi climàtic, als incendis, i li aporta més capacitat per nínxols ecològics, per tant més biodiversitat. Les quatre unitats del mosaic de Mas Marès, al Cap de Creus, estan distribuïts estratègicament en quatre unitats que es retroalimenten creant un cercle virtuós, un ecosistema equilibrat:

  • pastures: s’han mantingut les velles, amb les vaques, i se n’han anat creant de noves, desbrossant. Són a la part Nord i per tant la zona més exposada a perills com el foc
  • vinyes i oliveres: amb coberta vegetal verda a la tardor, hivern i primavera. A l’estiu es treballen les zones que limitem amb el matollar, per a fer de tallafocs.
  • suredes: regenerar aquests espais és clau, són ecosistema madur, evolucionat en aquesta zona, perquè sempre n’hi ha hagut. Hem mantingut les que hi havia, hem netejat el sotabosc mantenint els plançons
  • zones sense intervenció: a l’extrem sud, és on hi ha els ecosistemes més establerts. Els deixem que evolucionin de forma natural cap a ecosistemes més madurs a nivell de diversitat. Interessa protegir-los al màxim.

Les zones es distribueixen en funció de la vulnerabilitat de l’ecosistema que volem protegir. En el cas del mosaic de Mas Marès, la zona Nord és clarament la zona més exposada a incendis i per tant a pèrdues. Per tenir un mosaic equilibrat és imprescindible la cura de totes les unitats que requereixen intervenció. Si ho voleu escoltar en paraules de l’Anna Espelt us recomanem aquest episodi de Bar de Vins.

Since we can remember, we have seen cows in Albera and Cap de Creus. Changes in the contemporary world have made transhumance more complicated. The beasts, however, still need to change their minds when winter comes.

For years, we have had an agreement for these cows from Ripollès to graze in our vineyards in Cap de Creus. They win with good pastures: Xavi, the shepherd, tells us that if it rains there will be good grass (hopefully it will be so and it will rain soon!).

The whole area around Mas Marés also benefits with an enriched ecosystem. Thanks to their presence, we help the mosaic, this Mediterranean landscape that is a reflection of the variety of ecosystems and biodiversity. With the cows, one more element is added so that the different ecosystems that live together in this space create synergies between them. Cows are important because they create more open spaces, which is great for bringing in other animals like the little kestrel, which already we told you . They also reduce flammable biomass and, therefore, lower the risk of fire, and contribute more organic matter to the soil, thus closing a virtuous circle.

If you go up to the Pic de l’Àliga or the Pla de Gates you can now find the cows grazing peacefully again and enjoying the sun and wind, and hopefully some rain soon. Tell us if you were able to greet them, have you seen them?

Dry stone is part of our landscape, one of the reasons we rebuild dry stone walls. Dry Stone Week takes place from 19th to 28th November. More than 100 activities organized throughout the territory of the Catalan Countries to raise awareness of this cultural heritage.

pedra seca

This week will take place the 2nd edition of Dry Stone Week. More than 100 activities that vindicate, update and put these spaces of popular architecture and biodiversity at the center. The conference, organized by various organizations throughout the territory, is a good starting point if you want to know more about these rural buildings.

Dry stone is an ancient technique of separating fields, but also of gaining cultivation space in irregular terrain. In addition, over the years we have seen that the vineyards that had dry stone walls nearby were more resilient and with more biodiversity, since the holes between stones are natural dens for all kinds of insectivorous species and small reptiles, amphibians , birds At Mas Marés we have rebuilt more than 3000 m of dry stone walls because it is part of the our landscape and our heritage, but above all because they are the refuge of a rich and powerful ecosystem.

Let’s participate in the Seca de la Pedra Seca, there are more than 40 scheduled events, more than 20 trainings and more than 30 disclosure acts about the Catalan Countries. You can also come to meet us and learn first hand why we rebuild the walls of dry stone.

You have the calendar of activities and the location map on the Dry Stone Week website. Don’t miss it!

In the middle of the harvest we observe the vineyards. They have come this far, with all their might, in spite of the drought, in spite of the wind, in spite of the risk of fire this summer. We are very grateful to be able to work and harvest their fruits. We thanks nature to be able to take care of them.

The vegetable covers are yellow, the color of the straw dominates, if it were not the leaves and underneath, the grapes that we now harvest, we would say that the earth cannot bear fruit like this. Plants teach us slow adaptation to changing climatic conditions, resilience is their most authentic way of life. Our obsession is to make their future easy, creating spaces so that the water does not carry away the soils, redoing the dry stone walls, using drip irrigation very occasionally.

We keep on going on harvest ????

Since we know that the climate change is almost irreversible we do not stop asking us what we can do to adapt us in. Of course the world is in a climatic emergency, whose effects stil we are not aware of.

The MIDMACC research project, part of the European program Europa Life, has been working in our vineyards for more than a year to find answers to a question we often ask ourselves: are we doing everything we can to cushion climate change? Mid-mountain vineyards, such as those we have in Mas Marés, can be a good tool to prevent erosion and therefore influence the consequences of climate change. Researchers have placed small machines in the vineyards to find out how the water moves in our vineyards, because this gives us clues about soil erosion. These data will help us determine the differences, at the environmental level, between working in gobelet-trained or in trellis.

Collecting data is a very subtle way to open a window into the future. We hope to be able to tell you all the fruits.