wines with heart
Yes, February, apart from being one of the most ñgñgñgñg months! of the year, it is also the month of love , of Valentine's Day of romantic dinners. So, taking advantage of the fact that your little heart is predisposed to romance, let's talk about love...
Love of wine, or loving wines, which also exist. The wineries, the winegrowers, are not oblivious to what happens in society and sometimes they put all their effort into contributing a grain of sand to improve it, so perhaps it would be good to know some of those wines that, more than wines… They are tokens of love.
THE MICROSCOPI, A CRUSH AGAINST CANCER
In the history of this red carignan and merlot With the name of laboratory instruments there is good love. First, the one they felt Irene Alemany and Laurent Corrio when they met in Burgundy studying oenology and planned a life together making wine. And then, the one that woke up in Irene the medical team of the Breast Cancer Program of the Valle de Hebrón University Hospital and the Oncology Institute of this center. The winemaker suffered a breast cancer and she was able to learn first hand, during her convalescence and chemotherapy sessions, the work that this group of doctors does to fight the disease.
Since 2014, this wine exists and allocates all the profits from its purchase to a project to cure cancer that is carried out in the Barcelona hospital, focused on the influence of lymphocytes in the immune system. Its price could not be more tempting so that your solidarity vein wakes up and your taste buds begin to salivate: for 9 euros you are drinking a fresh, friendly and very attractive and, in addition, sowing love. What else do you want?
MARY, LIQUID CATHARIS
Maria was the youngest of the clan Remirez de Ganuza , a presumptuous young woman who liked to walk among vineyards and barrels. Her father, Fernando, remembers her as the flirt, the spoiled for hers, two other brothers of hers, Javier and Cristina, and her parents, as befits the youngest. But Maria's life was cut short in a highway while in the winery a project was being developed that involved Fernando's three children, and the tragedy stopped its progress in its tracks.
The youngest of the Remírez de Ganuza was a creative girl and continued to inspire her family to, somehow, continue without her. Maria it would be, from then on, a wine, the most special wine from the cellar . And to make it, nothing better than resorting to the fruits of the La Coqueta vineyard (baptized in honor of that pizpireta and presumptuous girl that was María), with vines of 45 years old, pampered with the fervor that Fernando Remírez de Ganuza puts into everything he does, and complement the mix with the best wines that rest in the cellar every year. The result was a red singular , a tempranillo from Rioja from Alava that María could be more than proud of.
Since its first vintages in 2003 and 2004, everything that comes in from María's sales goes to organizations with solidarity work , as the Spanish Association Against Cancer and the Down Syndrome Foundation . The last two harvests and the subsequent ones (from 2009 onwards) are dedicated to projects related to the childhood . Maria's price is not low -she costs 195 euros-, but isn't the well-being of a child worth it?
ESTEESTIMA, CAVAS WITH A MALLORCAN HEART
"Estimar" is to love in Catalan, and there is a lot of love in this project of Terra de Falanis to help integrate people with mental disability At mallorca. Although the cavas are not (obviously) Majorcan, behind their production are the founders of one of the most outstanding wineries on the island, Black Soul .
Miquel Àngel Cerdà and Pere Obrador have a close relationship with the association ** Estel de Llevant ,** with whom some of its members already collaborate, working in the cellar, during the harvest, vineyard work and other auxiliary tasks. These two cavas , from its “traveler” project, Terra de Falanis, have been developed to also support people who, due to their mental disability, have problems integrating into the world of work. True to his taste for the art , have counted to design the labels with the painter Rafael Joan.
The result is two attractive and drinkable cavas, a brut nature of Xarel•lo, Parellada and Macabeu of old vines Penedès and a rosé brut climb, coming from the Conca de Barbera (Tarragona). The labels, affixed one by one by hand by Estel members, can be easily peeled off to collect them . Isn't it romantic? Each bottle is priced at 15 euros. Bubbles and love in abundance!
HENS AND SEALS, FULL HAPPINESS
Without leaving Mallorca, and not far from there, Francesc Grimalt and Sergio Caballero , founders of 4 kilos , have been collaborating since 2009 with ** Amadip Esment ,** which since 1962 has been helping people with intellectual disabilities so that they can have job opportunities and lead a decent life. They help in this project with the tasks of the winery and are responsible for having baptized the name of the wine in this way, because, as they themselves said, “The chickens are funny and the seals clap their hands”.
It is a compelling argument to try this magnificent red wine made with Mantonegro and Syrah which costs just over 20 euros. An excuse to try a soft and welcoming Mediterranean wine that, moreover, brims sweetie . You fall in love, sure.
AUTISTIC, DIFFERENT FOR EQUALITY
With this revealing name, the family Abellan puts its grain of solidarity sand in the form of wine. With the wise hand of the adviser Joaquin Galvez and the mixing style that characterizes this Jumillano winery, Carchelo each year produces this red based on Monastrell, Tempranillo and Syrah whose proportions change according to the vintage, but whose intention is always the same: to make wine lovers aware of the existence of this disorder and to help the association financially ASTRADE , which cares for autistic people and their families. Every time you buy a bottle of Autistic , the benefits obtained from its sale are destined to the charity group. Its price is 15 euros and, although it is sold through the cellar Friends Club, It is planned to expand its distribution and also the benefit destined to help people with this disorder throughout Spain.
RATPENAT, LOVING BAT
A wine could not be missing that showed the love for the animals . And if there is a terribly cute animal, it is the bat, the only mammal capable of flying and which is not exactly associated with little hearts and cuddles. But this cute, funny and terrifying critter is essential to the ecosystem because of its insect-based diet, which helps preserve plantations such as the vineyard in good health.
** Celler Credo ,** the cellar behind Ratpenat , which is the name of this wine (and whose name means bat in Catalan) allocates 60% of the profits it makes to research on this chiropteran carried out by the Museum of Natural Sciences of Granollers , whose works studying bats since the eighties have managed to delve into the benefits of these wings.
For around 16 euros you can lend a hand of love to animals and help to continue knowing more about these endearing mini-vampires and, incidentally, have a white 100% macabeo from organic and biodynamic farming limited edition and covered with sustainable and recycled cork. Love your planet, winelover.