CAROL VALLÈS
“Behind each sip is an entire life.”
“Rere un petit glop hi ha tota una vida”
In the small municipality of Subirats in the Alt Penedès of Catalunya is Can Cartró, a tiny village of less than 200 inhabitants situated nearly a thousand feet above sea level. The village is located along the pilgrimage route to the monastery atop Montserrat, bringing devout travelers passing through. Locals planted cypresses to let them know where they could find food and shelter - with one cypress indicating a meal, two, both food and a place to sleep. It is here you can find the 100 year old Can Parellada.
Vicenta Parellada i Faura was born here, and together with her husband, they managed the farm and a paper mill. Their son Joan spent his summers on the farm, where grapes had always been grown, but often sold. In 1996, inspired by his work making sparkling wine for the family, Joan and his wife Teresa Vallès founded Cellers Carol Vallès.Their goal was to produce well-crafted Cavas in the Champenoise method, with extended aging in the cellar and a commitment to sustainability. “Past and future. Tradition and innovation.”
The couple, along with their son Guillem, moved back to the farm and made it their home.Guillem, who had been working on the farm since 2005, took the reins in 2015. Together with his cousin, winemaker Albert Pica, they and their team work the thirty two acre farm and produce a range of Reserva and Gran Reserva Cavas, including the Parellada i Faura, an homage to Joan’s mother Vicenta. The cousins continue the tradition of organic and sustainable farming and small production which has garnered them critical acclaim across Spain.
Learn more about Carol Vallès here.