Ca n'Estruc | Catalunya

  

Francisco Martí Badia

           "I was born here, and I will die here."            

Francisco Martí remembers working the vineyards of Ca n’Estruc as a child, riding a donkey through the fields with his grandfather. Today Francisco nurtures those same vines, many of them 80 years old, located near Barcelona in Penedès in the shadow of Montserrat. This is sacred land to Francisco.

From creation to consumption, Francisco is deeply involved in every aspect of the wine trade. He co-owns Vila Viniteca in Barcelona, the finest wine shop in Spain, and he’s a partner in a leading distributor. But his connection to wine starts, as it must, in the vineyards, where he produces some of the best Xarel-lo grapes in Spain, leading to white wines of unusual depth and complexity. Both his whites and reds are highly aromatic, balancing deceiving delicacy with unimpeachable structure.

Francisco takes nothing for granted, building on his heritage with a restless curiosity and drive to carry the spirit of his grandparents into the 21st Century. His vineyards remain a work-in-progress. Recently, for example, he began tightening the space between vines, forcing the roots to compete for nutrients, leading to even more concentrated fruit. For Francisco wine- making is not about aping the past. It’s about finding his own way, creating new traditions and using the wisdom of his family history as a compass to help lead the way forward.

Learn more about Ca n'Estruc here.