In the Far West of Catalunya lies the province of Lleida, a place so sprawling and remote that a traveling American might expect to see the Tetons rising in the distance. In the dead center of Lleida sits the comarca of Segarra. Perched high on a plain, above waves of grain dotted with pine trees and evergreens, there is a village named for an almond and also shaped like one: L’Ametlla de Segarra. In this village stands a cylindrical stone core—all that remains of an old castle built by the Templars—and at the top of this tower is Eva Bonet, la marquesa: the queen.

We are surveying the village below, comprised of just nine people (including Paula and Agustí of Cal Xurriu), the population swelling to forty during the summertime. Eva is the mayor, la marquesa being a term of endearment ascribed to her. Her full fictional title is La Marquesa de la Garnatxa, reflecting her penchant for the grape Garnacha, which she is deeply in love with promoting in her official capacity as mayor and winemaker at Comalats.

Comalats is named for the wooded foothills surrounding the region and also for the project brought to life by Eva’s late father, whose dream it was to revive winemaking here amid the grain farming that had come to dominate (Eva says it was also his dream to be able to export these wines, which is happening now for the first time). Their family has inhabited L’Ametlla de Segarra for seven hundred years. In the 70s, they saw vineyards fall into neglect as the population of Segarra moved to Barcelona in search of jobs that didn’t involve agriculture. Vines were ripped out, or laid to waste. It was not until the '90s that Jaume Bonet, Eva’s father, decided to plant Cabernet Sauvignon—a political act that would become Celler Comalats.

Celler Comalats now flourishes through the joint effort of Eva and her siblings Núria and Eloi, who cultivate twelve hectares of clay and limestone planted to organic Garnacha, Picapoll, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. When we say ‘organic’ we mean certified by the CCPA (Catalan Council of Ecological Agricultural Production) and protected by the total absence of industrial pollution, given the high altitude (diseases and pests tend not to thrive at 710m above sea level) and the remoteness (the closest traffic is 20km away). Their vines are pristine. What’s more, the wine those vines produce offers us a chance: to taste the modern day, to taste the past, to taste the tension in between. Standing in the comalats, gazing out over their land, Eva’s husband Ricard puts it like this: “when you drink a bottle, you’re not only drinking wine. You’re drinking a family’s history, the difficulties, the challenges… you’re drinking the whole story.”

We are honored to take part in their narrative—and to give you the opportunity, too.

CELLER COMALATS

Country: Catalunya

Region: Lleida

Sub-region or Appellation: Segarra

Winemakers: Eva, Eloi and Núria Bonet

Viticulture: Organic

Terroir: Clay, calcareous soil

Size: 12 hectares

Website: www.comalats.cat
Instagram: @comalats

CELLER COMALATS :: Marquesa

Maceration of 100% Picapoll. Zesty orange peels and blossoms dance together in this fresh yet elegant maceration where each sip begs for the next. Like this cuvée’s royal namesake, exuberant and still poised.

Vintage: 2022
Varieties: Picapoll (Picpoul Blanc)
Style: Orange Wine
ABV: 10.5%
Region: Lleida
Sub-Region or Appellation: Segarra
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, calcareous
Elevation: 710 m
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Maceration for five days on the skins before pressing
Aging: Amphora
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None

CELLER COMALATS :: Alosa

100% Garnatxa Negra that undergoes just 24 hours of maceration. Plump blackberries are counterpointed with lacy acidity and a hint of spice. A sultry, sensual expression of Garnatxa with endless possibilities and occasions.

Vintage: 2022
Varieties: Garnatxa Negra
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 12%
Region: Lleida
Sub-Region or Appellation: Segarra
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, calcareous
Elevation: 710 m
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Grapes are harvested at two different times in the season, with the majority undergoing 24-hour maceration before pressing. Blended with a portion of direct-pressed Garnatxa.
Aging: Stainless steel
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None

CELLER COMALATS :: Esparver

100% Syrah. Macerated in concrete tank for 72 hours, followed by fermentation and aging in cement tanks. A slightly more structured expression compared to its siblings, but remaining deft and lifted, with oodles of savory undercurrents flowing throughout.

Vintage: 2021
Varieties: Syrah
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 14.5%
Region: Lleida
Sub-Region or Appellation: Segarra
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, calcareous
Elevation: 710 m
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 48-hour maceration with stems and seed in concrete. The seeds and stems are removed before fermentation.
Aging: Concrete
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None

CELLER COMALATS :: Isarda

Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha aged in concrete. A fiery, peppery wine with undeniable purity, a velvety expression of the potential that Cabernet Sauvignon truly has, in this secluded, altitudinous oasis.

Vintage: 2021
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Lleida
Sub-Region or Appellation: Segarra
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, calcareous
Elevation: 710 m
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Latest harvest of the domaine, the grapes are de-stemmed and co-fermented in concrete.
Aging: Concrete
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None