# MAM (2021)

- **Producer:** Joan Rubió
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Xarel·lo, Macabeu
- **Region:** Catalonia, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 10.0%
- **Average price:** €20
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–11 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, peach, lemon, fennel

## About this wine

Joan Rubió spent nearly 15 years as technical director at Recaredo, where he spearheaded the transition to organic and biodynamic viticulture across their 50 hectares. In 2015, Joan and his wife Àngels returned to their ancestral family vineyards at Celler Cal Tiques in Santa Margarida i els Monjos, Alt Penedès. There, they craft minimal-intervention wines centered on natural balance and respect for the environment. MAM is a rare bottling reflecting the historical terroir of Catalonia through biodynamically farmed native Mediterranean white varieties.

## Interesting facts

- Joan Rubió was technical director at Recaredo for 15 years before starting his own micro-estate.
- The estate owns no mechanical press, crafting MAM entirely from unpressed free-run juice.
- Annual production is extremely limited to roughly 1,000 to 1,200 bottles.
- The vibrant label art pays tribute to traditional Catalan street celebrations and block parties.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity and distinct mineral salinity of this unpressed natural white wine enhance delicate fresh seafood and salty tapas while slicing through light richness without overwhelming subtle ingredients.

## Wine making process

MAM is crafted using Joan Rubió's philosophy of 'Ni Premsat ni Trepitjat' (neither pressed nor crushed). The winery operates without a mechanical press; instead, MAM is composed of unpressed free-run juice collected naturally during harvest. Fermentation takes place spontaneously with indigenous yeasts without temperature control or additives, split between red ceramic amphorae and stainless steel tanks. The wine ages on fine lees for around 4 months before being bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with no added sulfites.