Mas Foraster & Trepat

Three generations at Mas Foraster: Ricard Sebastia, Josep Foraster, &  Julieta

Located in central Catalunya, Conca de Barberá is well known for its production of cava, but it is also home to Mas Foraster, one of two producers to make a red wine from Trepat, a native grape that is typically reserved for rosé wines and cavas.  Using estate fruit only, the family run Mas Foraster practices integrated farming and occupies 29ha, 14ha of which are dedicated to the production of red grapes, including 3.5ha of 51 -year-old vines of Trepat.  ”To me, the [Josep Foraster] Trepat was like a Grand Cru Beaujolais of Spain,” says Jorge, our South American/Iberian Portfolio Director.  ”It’s new to most everybody…no one has really been exposed to it on its own.”

Growing grapes for the past 150 years, Mas Foraster started vinifying their own wines in 1998, when Josep Foraster took over the family estate.  When he passed away prematurely, his sister Julieta took over, only to pass the baton to her son, Ricard Sebastiá, who currently conducts all orchestration on site.  ”When I first met him,” said Jorge, “he’d started embracing, with modern technology, the native side of Catalunya.”  Currently 31-years-old, Ricard attended law school, but didn’t want to practice law.  In 2001, he produced his first vintage, while in oenology school, working with consultants and other winemakers.  In 2004, he flew solo.

Walking the vineyards at Mas Foraster

Conca de Barberá is different from other regions in Catalunya, because it’s the one place where there’s a Mediterranean effect. Unlike Priorat, Conca de Barberá is not blocked from the Mediterranean Sea by the Prades mountain range.  ”The wines [here] are fresher in style,” says Jorge, “with natural acidity and a long hanging season.”

According to Ricard, there are only 1100ha of Trepat planted around the world, and 1000ha are located in Conca de Barberá.  Ricard decided not to use his Trepat grapes for a cava or a rosé because the grapes “had enough potential to make a red wine…they had enough character.”  Allowing this character to express itself, Ricard uses no pesticides and no chemicals in the vineyard, relying instead on sulfur and copper.  As compost, he uses the remaining skins, stems, and pips.  ”What comes out of the vineyard goes back into the soil,” says Ricard.  Using only indigenous yeasts, every year at Mas Foraster, they preserve the vintage bloom, by encouraging these native yeasts to reproduce, so that they can be frozen for future use.  If a particular vintage isn’t reacting well to its native yeasts, then Ricard will access the frozen bloom, so that he can avoid the need for commercial yeasts.  A finicky grape, Trepat thrives in alluvial soils of clay and sand.  With light tannins, bright red fruit, and searing acidity, Mas Foraster Trepat sees five months of French oak, and at 13% abv it’s is an ideal wine with which to transition from summer into fall.

Reviews from Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar:

2010 Mas Foraster Josep Foraster Trepat Conca de Barbera Bright red.  High-pitched aromas of redcurrant, strawberry and rose, with a strong Asian spice quality gaining power with air.  Juicy and precise, with an intriguing lightness of touch and energetic red fruit flavors.  The clean finish shows very good nervy persistence.  This reminded me a lot of a lithe red wine from the Jura.  90 Points

2007 Mas Foraster Josep Foraster Crianca Fonca de Barbera (40% cabernet sauvignon and 30% each of ull de llebre and syrah):  Deep ruby.  Fresh raspberry, blackberry and Asian spice aromas display good clarity.  Sappy red and dark berry flavors are refreshingly bright, thanks to tangy acidity.  Shows a refreshingly spicy quality on the nicely persistent, sweet finish.  89 Points

2005 Mas Foraster Josep Foraster Seleccio Cabernet Sauvignon Conca de Barbera (90% cabernet sauvignon and 10% tempranillo):  Inky ruby.  Raspberry, bitter chocolate, mocha and Indian spices on the nose.  Offers appealing sweetness and definition to the expansive dark berry, licorice and black cardamom flavors.  The tannins come on late and add grip to the spicy, incisive finish.  This is evolving slowly.  90 Points