An unexpected glass of cloudy wine in a bar in Saint-Emilion set Andres Carull on his path to natural wine. Today he tends a centuries-old farm in Alicante, working only with local grapes and adding nothing but the grapes themselves.
History and People
The farm Casa Balaguer dates from 1750. Andres Carull, who works alongside Marta Ribera, took over Finca Casa Balaguer in 2013 from Rafa Bernabe, widely regarded as the father of natural wine in the Valencia region. Carull is from Villena in Alicante and is now the project's custodian.
The Region
The wines come from Alicante in southeastern Spain. Half of the vineyards surround the town of Villena inland at over 600 meters above sea level; the other half lie within the La Mata Natural Park, right on the Mediterranean coast.
Vineyards and Farming
Carull farms around 20 hectares organically and biodynamically, on an ecologically certified estate. He works exclusively with local varieties, including Monastrell, Garnacha, Garnacha Peluda, Rojal, Tortosina, Moscatel and Malvasia.
Winemaking
The philosophy is uncompromising: the wines are nothing but fermented grape juice, with an increasing share made entirely without added sulphites, true to the minimal-intervention approach he inherited and made his own.
The Wines
The range spans reds, roses and whites, with bottlings such as Tragolargo and Tomatierra showcasing the contrast between the high inland sites and the coastal parcels.
