2020 Cati Ribot Son Llebre Negre Mallorca Spain

Cati Ribot first began making wine with her father in a more conventional way. They worked with traditional varieties, strove for more extractive styles as was popular in the mid aughts, and did not work organically. This changed towards the end of the 2000s when she began training as a sommelier. She quickly expanded her horizons and connected with the growing Catalan natural wine community. The winery soon achieved organic certification and began using biodynamic treatments (influenced by another Catalan producer Joan Rubió whose wines we are happy to sell also!). 

As farming improved Cati began looking into the past of Mallorca's viticulture. The islands boast many near-forgotten varieties like Escursac, the local Malvasía de Banyalbufar, Girò Ros and Prensal Blanc (and other, even lesser-known varieties like Callet Negrella and Vinater that remain unrecognized by the D.O. authorities in Mallorca). 

Ultimately she moved to completely natural vinification in smaller, more traditional vessels. She has also welcomed other natural winemakers into her facility and nurtured a uniquely Mallorquin approach to natural winemaking. 

Escursac, Callet and Callet Negrella from a single name-sake vineyard. Fermentations are in a mix of steel vat and amphora and carried out whole berry with 30-40 day maceration. The wine rests in 4th use 500-liter barrel for 4 months and a further 2 months in steel before being bottled without any added sulfur (at any moment in the process), stabilization or filtration.