Mariona Vendrell and Albert Canela fell in love while studying winemaking in Tarragona, and they founded their winery at just 20 years old. A decade on, their bright, indigenous-grape wines have become a reference point for Conca de Barbera.
Backstory
The couple started Succes Vinicola in 2011 with support from a DO Conca de Barbera incubator program that lets young winemakers rent space cheaply in the oldest cooperative. Mariona did not come from a wine family; she discovered oenology at university and is now a member of the appellation's regulatory board. Albert's family has grown vines in Cabra del Camp for several generations, and the couple's first wines came from those vineyards. In 2016 they moved to their own garagiste winery in the industrial estate of Pira, near Barbera.
The Region
Conca de Barbera sits in the hills southwest of Barcelona in Catalonia. The region's signature red grape is Trepat, a late-ripening variety harvested in October, alongside the white Parellada.
Vineyards and Farming
Mariona and Albert farm about 20 hectares, both owned and leased, all organically. They work their own family parcels and maintain close ties with old-time growers tending older vineyards in Sarral and Barbera de la Conca. The grapes are mainly Trepat and Parellada, with some Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo) and Garrut (Monastrell).
Winemaking
The couple champions indigenous varieties and a fresh, vibrant, low-extraction style. Their cellar holds stainless steel tanks and clay amphorae for fermentation and aging, producing pure wines built on energy rather than weight.
The Wines
La Cuca de Llum, named for the Catalan word for firefly, is their entry-level Trepat red from vines between 17 and 45 years old. The range also includes La Trompa Trepat and an Experiencia Parellada white, among more than half a dozen bottlings of the region's traditional varieties.
