Penedes Xarel·lo DO ”Vinya Oculta” 2020 - Amós Bañeres
- Ready to ship
- Vintage: 2020
- Appellation: Penedes DO
- Grape: xarel·lo 100%
- Alcohol: 12%
- Bottle size: 0.75L
- Allergens: Sulphites
- Drink from: 2025/2030
- Serve at: 10/12 °C
- Perfect for: Dinner with friends
- Tannico rating: 91pt
- Type: White
- Pairing: Meat or mushroom-based pasta or rice dishes, Salumi
Tasting Notes
Pairings
Penedes Xarel·lo DO ”Vinya Oculta” 2020 - Amós Bañeres: Why we like it
Brand
Amós Bañeres is a Catalan winemaker who transformed a conventional urban lifestyle into an authentic and radical winemaking project in the heart of the Penedès region. A former pharmacist in Barcelona, he decided in 2011 to abandon his profession to devote himself to the land, taking over the family's 5.5 hectares of vineyards in Vilafranca del Penedès. This decision was preceded by a year of sailing with his wife and children, an experience that reinforced his desire for a life more in tune with nature.
From the outset, Amós adopted an organic and manual approach to cultivation, working on calcareous, clayey, and sandy soils with native varieties such as Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Parellada, and Garnatxa. The vineyards, located at an altitude of between 300 and 400 meters above sea level, are managed according to organic farming regulations, sometimes supplemented by biodynamic principles. All operations are carried out manually in order to respect the environment, nature, and the ecosystem as much as possible.
With the aim of preserving the raw material as much as possible and enhancing the characteristics of the variety, territory, and season, Amós Bañeres practices low-intervention winemaking in the cellar: spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no filtration or clarification, and no addition of sulfites. Its micro-cuvées, produced in limited quantities, reflect a balance between scientific rigor and spiritual sensitivity.
Among his best-known wines are “Missatge en una Ampolla,” a macerated Macabeu that expresses the minerality of the terroir, and “Vinya Oculta,” a Xarel·lo from old vines, aged in amphorae or used barrels. In 2015, Amós expanded his project by collaborating with Alex Ruiz Masach to create Els Vinyerons, a line of accessible natural wines representative of the Penedès region.
Today, Amós Bañeres is recognized as a leading figure in the Catalan natural wine scene, thanks to his dedication to quality and respect for nature.
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