Fosc Penedes Red 2020
Bold, dry, acidic and mildly tannic. A funkier nose of metallics and even rubber, but a smoother, classic fruit palette.
Tasting Notes: Red fruit blends, cherries and oak.
Pairing Suggestions: Beef, Pasta, Veal
Penedès, Spain
Type: Red | Vintage: 2020 | Sulfur: Minimal | Varietal: Shiraz/Syrah | Alcohol: 13% | Production: Organic | Style: Food Wine
Producer Profile
One of the most exciting regions in Spain when it comes to natural wine has got to be the Penedès. I know that may sound a bit strange considering the amount of plonky Cava being made, but this is actually part of the reason driving a group of young winemakers to do things differently. I call it the process of diseducation and at the forefront of this movement is Ruben Parera. Keep reading and you’ll know what I mean… Finca Parera is located in the upper Penedes region, characterized by its calcareous clay soils. Rubén converted his family’s 10h estate from organic to biodynamic farming, continuing the natural process into the cellar while applying the same practice to their cherries, almonds, olives, and vegetables, obtaining the rather grueling Demeter certification on their first visit. He was born into a family of farmers but it wasn’t until he finished his viticultural and oenological studies that they started making wines of their own. We first met him at a tasting in 2013 and his wines were perfect…almost too perfect. Since then, I feel like he’s stopped relying so much on the books and turned to his land for answers. His 2015’s are simply on a different level than what we first tasted in 2013. In a short period of time he’s evolved from making textbook wines to making wines of terruño, seeking drinkability without compromising depth and complexity. His entry level white, red, and rosé are super fun to drink while his 2014 acacia aged Xarello might be one of the most interesting expressions of the grape we’ve ever tasted. It’s the first wine he makes without adding SO2. I’d bet the same professors who told him it couldn’t be done would even take their hats off to this wine. Long live the diseducation of Ruben Parera! - Selections de la Vina
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About Natural Wine
Great question! There are a lot of definitions for natural wine with the main term you'll hear being that it has had minimal intervention. To be more specific, our definition is that the wine must first be sustainably farmed, which typically means it was organically or biodynamically farmed.
Then, in the cellar the natural winemaking process has some differences as well! The wine is typically unfined, unfiltered, and goes through spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. If you want to know more about what natural wine is, we have an entire guide under our reference section!
The short answer is that natural wine can taste like any other kind of conventional wine (we like to call these stealth natural wines) or it can taste quite a bit different, as production methods can vary and potentially be lighter, or in a style you've never had before (like orange, pet-nat or amphora).
The natural wine community is also more accepting of some qualities in wines that conventional would consider a flaw, like Brett, some oxidation, or volatile acidity. We would consider these in high amounts to also be a flaw, but in many cases a touch of these qualities can ultimately improve their flavor and texture and be happily accepted in a natural wine.
To find out more about what natural wine tastes like, check out our full blog and podcast on the topic here.
The short answer is, no! But many are. Glou-glou describes winesthat are easily chuggable, impossible to put the glass down, and seductively delicious! They tend to be young and fresh, designed to be drunk early with an average ABV of around 10%. Check out different styles or glou glou natural wine here on our site.