celler tiques
Santa Margarida i els Monjos, Alt Penedès, Catalunya
Joan Rubio is the former winemaker and vineyard manager at Recaredo, one of the oldest and largest cava producers in the Penedès. He successfully converted 50 hectares of vines to biodynamic farming, contributing to a revolutionary change in the vineyard's philosophy and quality of wines. He has worked his family vines in biodynamics since 2009 and eventually worked his way towards leaving Recaredo and dedicating his time to Cal Tiques, the family estate. With the help of his wife Angels and their three boys, Joan works 9 hectares of vines. Cal Tiques is predominantly composed of xarel.lo with a touch of macabeo and mourvèdre. In 2018 Joan began working a small parcel of tempranillo, giving way to the domaine's first red, Ull de Llebre.
Joan Rubio is an eternal student of biodynamics, continuously searching for balance and life in his vineyards. He is also a teacher and has an ease and love for sharing his learnings. His vineyards are brimming with life and this vitality is translated directly into his wines. In the cellar, Joan is equally as precise and determined. He works with just ripe grapes, searching for a balance between the fruit and the tension and acidity. Most of his cuvées have short macerations, adding texture and complexity. Joan’s insatiable quest to translate the energy balance from the vineyard to the glass results in some of the most electric and precise wines of the Penedes.