The Alta-Ampurdan winery where sheep tend the vineyards and chickens fertilize the soil

GironaBetween Mollet de Peralada and Masarac, in the Alt Empordà, in a farmhouse surrounded by fields and vineyards, is one of the most visited and best-rated wineries in the Girona region. It is La Vinyeta, a small family farm that, in addition to preparing its own wine in a traditional and organic way, also makes cheese, oil, honey and organizes a host of wine tourism activities designed for all audiences. Every year, nearly 14,000 visitors visit, in activities such as guided tours, accommodation services, personalized tastings, breakfasts, picnics, outings under the stars, concerts and poetry recitals among the vineyards. Sustainability and the circular use of all waste are the hallmarks of the operation of the La Vinyeta winery, traits that have earned it several awards. The latest, the Agri-Food Technological Innovation Award (PITA) for the best agricultural company, awarded on Monday 10 March by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

Circular economy and energy efficiency

The La Vinyeta project, which has been managed by Marta Pedra and Josep Serra since 2002, combines traditional procedures for making wines and homemade products with modern practices and advanced technologies with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the business, converting waste that is usually a problem into resources for new processes. For example, the remains of the grape pressing are used to feed the chickens, which produce very good quality eggs, and the chickens' manure, in turn, is used to fertilise the olive trees from which they extract the oil. In addition, the beehives provide honey and help with pollination, while the flocks of sheep, which supply them with wool and milk for their cheeses, when they graze, help manage the plant cover of the vineyards and olive trees and fertilise the soil. And the waste from cheese making, the whey, is used by Serra and Pedra, who are trained agricultural engineers, to apply it to the vineyards to prevent fungus.

"For us, this distinction from the department is a great recognition, because it not only rewards companies in the wine sector, but also those from the entire agri-food spectrum, which in our country is a very powerful and innovative sector," explains Josep Serra. La Vinyeta, in fact, is part of the Innovi cluster for innovation in the world of wine and participates in different research projects from universities and institutions such as the University of Girona or the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA).

In addition to the reuse of waste, La Vinyeta is also concerned with energy efficiency, with a solar panel installation that allows them to generate 80% of their electricity, and is currently working on a grey water treatment system to use for the irrigation ditch. They are also committed to biological pest control and are building a nesting tower for the lesser kestrel.

Wines pair well with oils, cheeses and sausages

By wanting to apply a circular model, Marta Pedra and Josep Serra have inevitably opened up the range of home-made products, with a pantry of oils, cheeses, honey, vegetables and eggs that complement and enrich the offer and the wine tourism activity of visitors, without the need to buy too much food outside. In addition, Josep Serra's parents are butchers, so the sausages are also made first hand. They grow thirteen varieties of grapes, all of them native, which allow for various combinations and a very diverse wine catalogue. Right now they have about fifteen wines and liquors in more or less limited editions, which can be bought at the winery. in situ, in specialist shops or in restaurants in the region. The latest thing they have launched on the market is the Álbum, a red wine made from Cariñena, priced at €35: "We harvested the grapes in the traditional way, treading the grapes with our feet in the middle of the vineyard. Then we let it ferment spontaneously in ceramic containers that are copies of the sweet wine we serve for future elaborations in the winery. The aim is to find our mother mass," says Josep Serra, who continues: "We thought that the resulting wine would be rustic and wild, but it is quite the opposite; it is fine, elegant, with aromas of Mediterranean herbs and liqueur-like fruit."

As for the olive trees, Pedra y Serra cultivate the Empordà varieties of Argudell and Corivell, which, combined, produce an oil with a very intense aroma, a powerful taste, aromatic, slightly spicy and a sweet touch.

Wine tourism as an opportunity to promote yourself

Marta Pedra and Josep Serra bought this estate in 2002, just when they were still studying, from a local owner. It started as a complementary activity that they carried out during the week, which they combined with their studies, until, in 2006, they started to dedicate themselves full-time and officially opened the winery. Since then, it has grown progressively until today, expanding the range of products in the shop and also the catalogue of wine tourism activities, which now occupy a large part of the day-to-day running of the business. They have around thirty proposals, such as packs or gift vouchers, fixed throughout the year, as well as some seasonal ones, such as the calçotades of these months, and received by couples and families with children as well as large groups of friends. "Wine tourism helps us to transmit our message so that people get to know us, see the landscape where the wines come from and, when they later come across our bottles in a shop or on a restaurant menu, they remember us, recommend us and buy our products," concludes Serra.