BODEGAS CAUZON, Andalucia, Spain

Ramon Saavedra's family has always owned a small vineyard but would only make wine for consumption. It was a subsistence crop just like any other. He never imagined he could make a living out of viticulture so he pursued a career as a chef. He spent 15 years working in kitchens up and down the Costa Brava until he decided to return to his native Cortes y Graena in the Granada province of Andalucía, a small little town located in the middle of the desert…red rocks and sand as far as the eye can see. It’s actually quite an amazing sight. He took over his family’s small vineyard and planted another 4 hectares on alluvial soil deposited at the base of Sierra Nevada, all of which above 1000m of altitud. He even planted some ungrafted vines on the sandier parts free of phylloxera. The sun exposure combined with the altitude give his wines the best of both worlds, ripe fruit and structure kept in check by a nice backbone of acidity.

Since planting in 1999, there’s been no need for chemicals in the vineyard. That said, he hasn’t really needed them in the cellar either. Ramón’s terruño speaks for itself so there’s not much “winemaking” on his part. Native yeast fermentations, no filtering or fining at any time and no additives of any kind, not even sulfur.