2023 Anima Mundi Gres Xarel-lo

Anima Mundi is a side-project from Agustí Torello Roca, winemaker for his family’s estate winery AT Roca in the Alt Penedès region of Catalonia. Agustí’s goal for this project is to show the true expression of grape and place through keen observation of the land. Anima Mundi is a theory of Plato’s, translating to “the soul of the world.” Much in the way that the soul is connected to the body, Agustí sees wine as a way for us to connect with the Earth. For these wines, Agustí works without any additions or interventions in the winery, and uses clay anfora, concrete and used French oak barrels for fermentations and aging. All fruit for this project comes from their certified organic estate vineyards, as Agustí believes that lively wines can only come from lively soils. These vineyards are in the Costers d’Ordal and have extremely calcareous soils due to the influence of the nearby Garraf Massif. The area - within the Alt Penedès, a comarca (county) in Catalonia and a subzone of the Penedès DO - is located between Sant Sadurni d’Anoia (where their winery is currently located) and Vilafranca del Penedès. The landscape is a tapestry of mixed and varied soils and different microclimates from the convergence of two rivers, mountains, and the Mediterranean sea, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest terroirs in the world.

The grapes are sourced from a single vineyard called “Vinya del Boet Vell,” the juice is macerated for 48 hours on its skins, and is then fermented in both old French oak casks and clay amphorae. Notes of lemon pith, lemon curd, oat straw waft from the glass, accompanied by flint and light tobacco on the palate. Full bodied, flavorful, and complex, this wine is sure to excite and delight those who indulge. Certified organic, biodynamically grown, low-intervention/natural wine.