The Rosé That Missed Summer (but won't disappoint)
The Costa Daurada, Spain’s Golden Coast, is aptly named. Even in January, you are afforded sunny days, with the temperatures inching up towards 65, and soft sunlight where you can get by in just a t-shirt. A welcome change, as Dan and I had just come from several chilly days in the foothills of Rioja--We simply followed the path of the Ebro River east from Logoño, down to where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
Taking a break after several busy days, with more appointments ahead of us, we settled into chairs on the porch with a view of the sea, and pored over notes, sorting through sample bottles we collected at various winery stops from the past week.
Most of Catalunya’s wine production is mass-produced from industrial-sized wineries, and most of it is not worth our time, or yours. But up in the mountains above Tarragona, in Conca de Barberà, Ricard Foraster practices his craft at a smaller, more intimate scale. His organic farm combines vines and olive oil, and he’s been running this hyper-clean and well-organized family winery since taking over in 2007.
In 18 years, Ricard has become a master of Trepat, each year pushing the boundaries of this grape with new techniques or fermentation vessels. But, just what is Trepat?
As Ricard puts it, “Trepat is the essence of the Conca de Barberà and my cellar.” In more practical terms, it is a late-ripening, thick-skinned grape, well-suited to Northeast Spain’s hot, dry climate. At higher elevations, the variety produces delicate, elegant wines--more like Pinot Noir than the region’s typical tannic, teeth-staining red varieties. In Ricard’s hands, the results are aromatic and high-toned.
We arrived late at Ricard winery, and though Ricard graciously hosted us, touring us through the vineyards, with an extensive tasting in the cellar, he had family business to attend to. As we said goodbye, a bright pink bottle we had not tasted caught my eye. “Ah, that’s for the locals,” he said, handing it over.
The next day, sitting on the porch, alternating between chilly breeze and warming sunlight, we pulled the cork to taste this latest iteration of Trepat and see what the locals had figured out.
• PETITA JULIETA ROSAT TREPAT 2024 •
This rosé is 100% Trepat. Immediately, you’re immersed in sunny strawberry aromas, followed by a hint of cream and a touch of pepper on the finish. The palate is full of red fruits and creamy without being heavy. Fun and elegant at the same time.
I reached out to Ricard after our visit to thank him, especially for this bottle. It was another delightful dimension of Trepat, I told him. Any chance we could peel some away from the locals? 10 cases were all he could spare. We’ll take it all!
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Look, I wanted this here for prime rosé season this summer, but the complexities of international trade delayed things a little. Here we are, on the cusp of fall, and this will be arriving sometime in November. But, this is just a killer rosé that is, and I’ll stand by this, delicious any time of year. Catch a sunny day this fall, and pop one open - or save it for when you need a reminder of fairer weather. Either way, you won’t be remiss.