|  |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | Albet i Noya | Country: Spain Region: Penedes Size: 82 hectares Producer: Josep Maria Albet i Noya Organic Since: 1978
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| | Background | Whilst the origins of viticulture at Can Vendrell go back to the middle ages, it was not until 1903 that the Albet family established itself at the estate. The first two generations grew grapes but sold most of the crops to bigger wine producers and only produced small amounts of wine.
This changed when Josep Maria took over in 1972, following his fathers death. Josep Maria studied agriculture engineering and followed a course in organic farming in 1978. At the end of the seventies he started producing his first organic wine. With the success of that wine, he gradually moved the entire estate over to organic farming. The consolidation of these years of dedication came in 1986 when the current company was established. Albet i Noya S.A.T. was set up by Josep Maria and his brother Antoni and their mother, Núria Noya i Rafecas. The family also finally acquired the estate that they had been farming for three generations. At this point, they began a long process of continuous renovation of the cellar, as well as switching 100% of the estate over to organic farming methods.
Josep is married and has one son after whom he named the reserva Marti.
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| | The estate | The estate compounds of 250 acres of which 188 are exclusively dedicated to the cultivation of vines. The vineyards cover the western slopes of the Ordal mountain-range following the curves of the terrain in stepped terraces or on slopes exposed to the midday sun. As in all good wine-growing land, the soil in Can Vendrell has low organic content, with a variable content of clay and sand on a bed of calcareous stone, a permeable base with good moisture retention.
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| | Organic philosophy | In 1978 Josep Maria Albet i Noya was the Farmer's Union representative on the D.O. Penedès regulating council, when a Danish company contacted the council in search of an organic producer in the region. At that time there were no certified organic producers in Spain, but the council mentioned the possibility to Josep Maria largely because of his personal convictions as a strict vegetarian. At that time there was no official body regulating organic production in Spain, and Vida Sana - a Spanish organic consumers organisation - offered the relevant control mechanisms. Joseph Maria completed a course on Biodynamic agriculture and despite initial scepticism from the family and local farmers, he decided to try organic farming on one of the family vineyards that he himself had replanted and grafted. The resulting wine sold very well, encouraging him to continue along this path.
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| | Products at Vinceremos | Garnatxa-Tempranillo 'Petit Albet', Tempranillo Classic, Lignum Negre
Pinot Noir-Merlot Classic Rosat
Xarel.lo-Chardonnay 'Petite Albet', Xarel.lo Classic, Lignum Blanc
Cava Brut 'Petit Albet', Cava Brut Rosat, Cava Brut 21 | | ![Products at Vinceremos]() |
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 | Prosecco Frizzante 'Sora Loc', Perlage IGT (Italy) £7.60
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 | Trio Trocken, Stefan Sander 2011 £8.10
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 | Château de Boisfranc AC (Beaujolais) 2009 £8.60
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 | Inzolia, Era IGT 2010/11 £7.10
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 | Sangiovese, Era IGT 2010 £7.10
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