For many, Partida Creus is the winery with the highly recognisable two-letter labels. So often when we talk about wine, the focus is on the soils, the winemaking and the practices in the vineyards. And whilst that is the key philosophy with all of my producers, Partida Creus for me, is so much more than that, and much more than its iconic labels — it is the people, it is their passion.

Five years ago, Partida Creus was the very first winery I began working with. From the first time I met Antonella and Massimo, and every subsequent visit and ensuing late night thereafter, they have been my Spanish family. With beaming smiles and warm embraces, arriving to see them feels like coming back to a home away from home.

Hailing from Piedmont, in the mid 90’s architects Antonella Gerosa & Massimo Marchiori moved to Barcelona. But once there, they yearned for a slower lifestyle, to grow their own produce and reconnect with the land, so they searched the surrounding areas and in 2001 found a property in Bonastre, just over an hour south of Barcelona. This isolated property, “El Maiol” is surrounded by a protected forest, and was planted with almond and olive trees, interspersed with rosemary, thyme and Mediterranean scrub. It truly is a magical place and Anto and Massimo were instantly connected to it.

Whilst working at El Maiol they discovered an abandoned vine, small and untended. Speaking with the previous owner they learnt that the property was once a vineyard, but during the Franco era the government paid his father to remove the vines and plant olive and almond trees instead. The varietal was Sumoll, a forgotten indigenous grape that once thrived in the Catalan area before everyone decided Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot would bring commercial success. With this new information, Antonella and Massimo decided to remove the unwanted trees, recoup the soil and restore the vineyard, planting it with the same Sumoll vines.

With the idea to make some organic wine for themselves and friends, the vineyard produced its first grapes in 2007, and a blanc de noir was produced — a white wine made from that same red grape — Sumoll. Little did anyone know at the time that this was the beginnings of Partida Creus and the cuvee we now know as ‘BS’.

Whilst researching Sumoll and discovering it was historically one of the most important varieties of the area, Massimo also found other indigenous near extinct varieties: Vinyater, Cartoixa Vermell and Garrut. They are giving a new life to these forgotten grapes and playing an important role in recovering the wine heritage of the region. Located at 150-200 meters altitude and just 5 km as the crow flies from the Mediterranean Sea, they have 22 hectares, 6 hectares of which are planted to vines. In addition, they rent other vineyards and work with local farmers to tend them. All the work both at home and in the rented vines is organic.

Massimo, self taught, has been making wine since 2007. 2013, despite being a very difficult vintage, proved to be a turning point and a leap forward — whilst organically-certified wines allow for sulphur, Antonella and Massimo ceased sulphur additions entirely in 2013.

A key component of their wines is freshness and precision, salinity, delicate fruit and acidity. These are wines made to be drunk, to be enjoyed, authentic and living. They respect their heritage and the heritage of the area they choose to live, but most important to Antonella and Massimo is to respect the land they now choose to call home.