Castell d’Encús history

A cellar with a particular history

A reclaimed land to return to its roots.

The origin of Castell d’Encus stems from the impact the location had on Raul Bobet in 2001 while he was looking for land that could reduce the effects of climate change on vineyards around the Catalan Pyrenees.

Castle Encus mission is to obtain high quality wines. So we have planted 23 of the 95ha in the property in high density with varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Semillon and Albariño. The rest of the land remains as a forest.

The winery was designed to work by gravity in all processes, and has the most advanced winemaking technology.

In 2004 Joaquim Molins Gil was anexed to the project.
The intention is to produce a limited number of bottles (6000 cases or less) exclusively from the fruit of our vineyards.
Due to our respect for the environment we are not using any herbicide, insecticide or fungicide, except those permitted in organic farming

Philosophy

Vineyards at 3,900 feet

The elevation of the property (850-1300 meters), the excellent sun exposure and large wooded area around it, along with its long history make the place look privileged and magical. The estate has an old chapel and fermenting grapes vats carved into the rocks by the monks of the Hospitaller Order (12th century)

The lands are generally calcareous and clay-loam with low organic content, which together with the continental climate and high temperature contrast between day and night, allows us to obtain wines of high quality.

Harvesting is done manually and in small boxes of 10kg only with grapes grown in the estate. The wine is fermented in different materials: wooden vats, stainless steel vats and natural stone. With these three materials wines get very different tones and shades and a great aromatic complexity.

Fermented in stone

Because of its medieval aspect, the farm has a large number of fermenting vats carved in the stone that work by gravity. After passing a few initial tests they are being reused for fermentation of an important part of our both white and red wines.
In the case of our Quest wine the whole fermentation process takes place in these stone vats.

Respect for the environment

Because of our belief in preserving the environment we do not use any herbicide, insecticide or fungicide, except those permitted in organic agriculture.

The winery was the first to use cold/heat transfer processes of geothermal energy in all its processes in an effort to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact. The winery is also designed to function by gravity in all its processes and has the most advanced winemaking technology.

Research

The birth of a project is a mixture of different factors. In our case, a dream, the perception of energy and the discovery of something almost idyllic, are concepts that have had much thought. Obviously these reasons have been reinforced by rational elements from personal experience, without which, the dose of intuition could cut short the long route of a estate wine project located in the Lleida Pyrenees.

Castell d’Encus cannot be understood without the concept of research. In fact, the desire to discover , has been the engine that has brought us where we are, in a sort of challenge to fit the different variables that can go into the style of freshness that we seek in our wines , but with complexity and a stamp of personality.

We consider the triangle formed by the climate, soil and grape variety , as a matrix that includes many other parameters. To be careful in the design of experiments and to make the research serious we need to limit the number of tests in order to make progress in those experiments we consider the ” key ” to the definition of our wines .

We are currently doing research on variables such as the vineyard planting density , cover crop, the effects of the compound , the different types of pruning, foliage , harvest times , etc… As for oenological aspects , research is focused on the different natural fermentations that occur in several stone vats. We also have long experience in the reduction and / or elimination of the dosage of sulfur during barrel aging and in aspects related to the presence of green parts during the fermentation process , etc… In fact, the way we work when we make a blend is the interplay between different small batches that are actually small individual experiments. ”

The winemaker:Raül Bobet

A dreamer with years of experience in the vineyard and in the wine project aims to make reality a project of fresh wines with personality. Same important is the personal experience of living in an environment of silence, in an energetic surrounding with spectacular views. Research, perfectionism and rapture are and will be virtues and also defects associated with Castle Encus . The project of developing a single wine does not end ever, and here lies the dream.

Drink in Peace