A Terrer with a biodynamic spirit

"Let's not forget that, whether we like it or not, we too are animals and need a healthy environment to live." These are the words of photographer Màrius Domingo, author of the poster for this year's Terrer Festival, which is now entering its final stretch. His images showcase some of the birds that inhabit the Priorat region. It's no coincidence that one of the tastings organized as part of Terrer, now that wine has become a permanent fixture, focuses on preserving the landscape and promoting biodiversity. Winemaker Ester Nin (Celler Nin Ortiz, Porrera) has set one condition for accepting the festival director Blai Rosés's proposal: that it take place at the Cartuja de Escaladei. "We've come to explain biodynamics to you in our home," she and Carles Ortiz say humbly. "And also to let you guess what we've served you," they add. Under each glass, a scratch-off card. Iconic biodynamic wines from different regions of the world will be served and tasted as their story unfolds. "Our vines have a living, extensive, and deep root system," they declare from the outset. The image of the leaf they give to attendees illustrates precisely that: root work that is later transferred to the wine. "It's difficult to perceive biodynamic viticulture in the glass, but it is said that these wines are more expressive, with fruit and floral notes," they explain. There is also harmony, as in the subtle crystallizations that allow them to capture the essence of the wine. "The estate should gladden our souls; it should create a living organism where native life flourishes. It should never be a monoculture," Carles Ortiz reminds us. That's why they coexist with almond and hazelnut trees, native vegetation, and dry-stone walls that bear witness to countless years of agricultural activity. "The waxing or waning moon is what gives us vitality." "Animal manure is the most honest way to maintain the soil without heavy machinery; the idea is always to revitalize the soil." They talk about Steiner, about the preparations, explaining that "a good compound allows for better resistance to disease; we go to the Pyrenees to find cow manure." They talk about restoring hillsides and self-esteem, about Flor de la Coma, the new wine that draws from the DNA of old vines.

They are the first winery in Spain to achieve Biodyvin accreditation, the only seal that certifies not only biodynamic practices but also the organoleptic tasting of the wine. "Each offering is a celebration of the land and its capacity to inspire us," says the director of Terrer. It's clear the wisdom of scheduling them and seeing how they are admired, from the discretion of the refectory, by winemakers of the caliber of Daphne Glorian, Sandra Doix, and Núria Pérez Ovejero.