Amós Bañeres Vinyeros, Vilafranca del Penedès
Amós Bañeres got bored of his life as a pharmacist in Barcelona and moved out to Penedès in 2011 to take care of the 5,5 hectares vineyards of his mothers family. Here the chalky, old river basin is planted with mainly old wines of Xarel-lo, Macabeu and Perellada. But he also has a parsel of Garnacha up the hill.
Amós is very precise and cares a lot about making pure wines that are stable even though he doesn’t use any additives at all. The production is so far very tiny, he can press one 228-liter barrel a day, he uses amphoras and old barrels for his vinification in the small shed just next to his house.
First vintage he made was in 2011, so it is still very much on a learning by doing path.
In 2017 Amós started to do wines with his old university friend, Damin Diaz in Tenerife, to explore the interesting soils and grapes that Tenerife has to offer.
His wines in general are energetic, profound and vibrant, we just can’t get enough of these!
2020, 2021 Hey!
Soil: Limestone, calcareous clay & sand, lower vinyards on the old river basin outside Vilafranca de Penedès
Grape: 60% Macabeu 40% Xarel-lo
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1961-2001
Vinification: Early harvest, direct press, fermentation and ageing in glassfiber tanks for the Macabeu. The Xarello is harvested with higher ripeness and undergoes 10 days of maceration carbonique (100% whole clusters). Then gently pressed, fermented and aged on the lees for 12 months in 300 liters french old oak barrels. The wines are then blended and bottled.
2021 Let it Be
Soil: Limestone, calcareous clay & sand, lower vinyards on the old river basin outside Vilafranca de Penedès
Grape: Xarel-lo
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1962
Vinification: A mistake or not? Well a lucky one in that case we say. Amós sais that he in this case forgot about these particular destemmed grapes in a glass fiber tank for about 8 months. After that period the juice was separated from the grapes and put to rest for another 2 months, also in glass fibre tank. No punching down, no pumping over, no pressing before bottling.
A wine of great substance and finesse is the result!
2019, 2021 Missatge en un Ampolla
Soil: limestone, 2 hectares on top of a small hill south of Vilafranca del Penedes.
Grape: Macabeu
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1989-1990
Vinification: 97% directly pressed grapes ferments together with 3% whole bunches during alcoholic fermentation. Then gently pressed and aged on the lees for 11 months in stainless steel tanks.
2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 Vinya Oculta
Soil: limestone, calcareous-clay and sand, 1,8 hectares on top of a small hill south of Vilafranca del Penedès
Grape: Xarel-lo
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1989-1990
Vinification: 10 days of carbonic maceration (100% whole clusters). Then gently pressed and fermented and aged on the lees for 12 months in 300-liters french old oak barrels, then bottled.
2019 Arrels del Cel
Soil: Argilo-Limestone with rolling stones.
Grape: Xarel-lo
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1952
Vinification: 10 days maceration, whole cluster followed by soft press.
Aged for 11 months in 300 liter, old French barrels.
2018 Chaxiraxi Listán Blanco
Soil: Clay on top of Vulcan rock, south facing vineyard 1280 meters above sea level on the Teide mountain.
Grape: Listan Blanco
Appellation: Do Tenerife
Age of Vines: Planted 1900
Vinification: Direct press, fermented and aged on the lees for 12 months in 300-liters french old oak barrels before bottling.
2019 Sense Nom
Soil: Limestone & clay, 0,5 hectares south facing vineyard on top of a small hill (400 m above sea level)
Grape: Garnacha
Appellation: DO Penedes
Age of Vines: Planted 1950
Vinification: 10 days of whole cluster semi carbonic fermentation. Gentle press, followed by a two months still fermentation. Aged on the lees for 11 months in 300-liters french old oak barrels before bottling.
2020 Diables
Soil: Limestone, 2 hectares on top of a small hill south of Vilafranca del Penedès
Grape: Macabeu
Appellation: DO Penedès
Age of Vines: Planted 1989-1990
Vinification: Destemmed and then left to macerate on the skins over one night before gently pressing. Almost all must is boiled down gently to reach a much higher concentration. Then the really sweet, concentrated must are blended with the must that was not reduced, which enables a natural fermentation. This vintage the fermentation was during nearly one year on one old 225 liter barrel. The wine was bottled after 13 months in that barrel.
Extra: This is an old way of making sweet wines, that’s increasing in popularity to produce.
It gives an intense, pure fruit and keeps a really fresh acidity.
2017, 2018 Chaxiraxi Vijariego Negro
Soil: Clay on top of Vulcan rock, south facing vineyard 1400 meters above sea level,
on the Teide mountain.
Grape: Vijariego Negro (called Sumoll on mainland)
Appellation: DO Tenerife
Age of Vines: Planted 1982
Vinification: 100% destemmed and then fermented 20 days with the skins in open plastic vats before pressing and continuously ageing 12 months in old 300 liter French oak barrels before bottling.
2018 Chaxiraxi Baboso Negro
Soil: Clay on top of Vulcan rock, south facing vineyard 1400 meters above sea level on the Teide mountain.
Grape: Baboso Negro (same as Alfrochiero in Portugal)
Appellation: DO Tenerife
Age of Vines: Planted 1982
Vinification: 100% destemmed and then fermented 20 days with the skins in open plastic vats before pressing and continuously ageing 12 months in old 300 liter French oak barrels before bottling.
2018 Chaxiraxi Listan Prieto
Soil: Clay on top of Vulcan rock, south facing vineyard 1400 meters above sea level on the Teide mountain.
Grape: Listan Prieto
Appellation: DO Tenerife
Age of Vines: Planted 1982
Vinification: 100% destemmed and then fermented 20 days with the skins in open plastic vats before pressing and continuously ageing 12 months in old 300 liter French oak barrels before bottling.