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WHERE in the WORLD is Single Leaf???
Gratallops, Spain
with
Bert and Cathy Mason!!!
This guy thinks like we do…pretty scary for him. Therefore, we are taking the unprecedented step of using much of his story verbatim. “We’re standing in front of the Cal Llops hotel, which was originally built in the 13th Century. Gratallops ("Wolf Scratches") is in the Prioriat D.O.O. wine region, which is about 100 kilometers southeast of Barcelona. There are about 72 wineries in the region, most in the 1000 cases per year size. The soil in the region is what they call shale; we would call it road base. It's mostly rock, with some decomposed granite and no organic matter evident. The primary variety is Grenache (granacha), with Carignane the next most frequent planting. Most of the vineyards appeared to be dry farmed, although there were some drip irrigation systems. I didn't see any form of trellising, except individual "crosses" on some plants. When I asked about yields, the typical response was that they were in the 1-3 kg per vine, but I couldn't find out how many vines per hectare were planted. There are some plantings of Syrah, Merlot, etc., but they are the exception. Several of the wineries are in the small village of Gratallops (population = 750, which must count all dogs and cats), but most are spread throughout the countryside. The area has enjoyed a rebound in the last 20-30 years after it was pretty much destroyed by phylloxera. We enjoyed the wines--fruit forward and food friendly, but not highly complex.
They’ll be receiving a signed by the Winemaker magnum of Zinfandel Reserve for their efforts, picture on the Wall of Fame and full write up plus their great picture on the webpage for this quarter.
TRULY…we are touched, humbled and honored to be included in your travels. The pictures that have been submitted from the wine club make up a terrific living history for us right in the tasting room.
Plus, those pictures on the wall provide endless entertainment for people whether coming here for the first time or old timers reviewing the recent winners.
YOU CAN’T WIN IF YOU DON’T ENTER! Most people enter several times before winning so don’t be discouraged if you don’t win in the quarter that you submit Also, please include a brief write up regarding not only where the picture is being taken but why you were taking it (the picture, not the wine!!!).
If you want YOUR 15 MINUTES OF FAME, send us a picture of you in your travels with our wine.
Keep “em coming…Best of luck and “Where in the World is Single Leaf” next time?
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