RIM
Empordà
Catalunya
RIM Vins i Vinyes is a natural wine project set up by grower Jordi Esteve Xifra that was born of his interest to “know the history of Rabós d’Empordà and recover forgotten vineyards”. When he speaks of his winemaking philosophy, he considers himself to be almost auxiliary in the process. “It's not an invention. I just listen. I only transform matter into fermentation.” The results speak for themselves. This humble, hands-off approach seems to work wonders, producing stunningly characterful and terroir-driven wines.
Jordi cultivates a number of indigenous varieties across the slatey terrains of Empordà, including Grenache, Carignan and Macabeu. Soils here are rich in minerals but fairly poor in lime, meaning for an acidic soil with low PH. Slate has unique large water storing capacity, which comes in handy in the extreme summer.
Working with 8 hectares of vines, he adopts a sustainable approach to farming and a fully natural vinification process in the cellar. Favouring wild yeast fermentations, shorter macerations and gentle cap management techniques, his wines are lightly extracted, complex, and an absolute joy to drink.
The oldest and most special grapes are the ones that come from the vineyard making the Jan Blanco wine. Every year the spontaneous fermentation of these grapes serves as a Pied de Cuve for all other fermentations. Like this all wines carry a little bit of the 100 year old vineyard.
Sarau Blanco
Vintage 2023
Style Orange
Region Ràbos, Empordà
Varieties Garnatxa Roja, Macabeu
ABV 12%
Soils Rocky Slate
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of 70/30 Macabeo and Grenache Gris from 60 years old vines. Grapes are hand harvested and de-stemmed together. They then undergo
24 hours of skin contact before
being gently pressed and co-
fermented in stainless steel. The wine is only racked once before bottling. Unfiltered and unfined.
Tasting Note Spiced lemon, ginger and apricot aromas. Nicely textured and energised.
Tot d’Una
Vintage 2019
Style Rosé
Region Ràbos, Empordà
Varieties Garnatxa Negra, Garnatxa Roja, Garnatxa Blanca
ABV
Soils Rocky Slate
Farming Organic
Winemaking Hand harvest. The grapes undergo
36 hours maceration on the skins before
being gently pressed and co-
fermented in stainless steel with native yeasts. Only one racking takes place before the wine is b
ottled unfiltered and unfined.
Tasting Note Beeswax, cooked rhubarb, dried orange and red cherry meet dried herbs cedar on the palate. Waxy, woody and savoury.
Contraban
Vintage 2022
Style Red
Region Ràbos, Empordà
Varieties Garnatxa Negra, Muscat
ABV 13.5%
Soils Rocky slate.
Farming Organic
Winemaking This year the grapes are 100% sourced from Jordi’s estate. This is a split of 95% Garnatxa Negra and 5% Muscat. Both varieties are hand harvested and together go through a short 24
hour maceration. This is followed by a gentle pressing
and spontaneous co-fermentation in stainless
steel. The wine is only racked once before being bottled unfiltered and
unfined.
Tasting Note A light with vibrant notes of candied cherry, rhubarb and spicy blackcurrant. Some earthy undertones and leathery spice come through on this vintage.
Sarau Tinto
Vintage 2023
Style Red
Region Ràbos, Empordà
Varieties Cariñena, Garnatxa Negra
ABV 13.5%
Soils Rocky Slate
Farming Organic
Winemaking A blend of 70/30 Carignan and Grenache. The grapes are hand harvested, de-stemmed and spontaneously fermented in stainless steel. These undergo 13 days of skin maceration with one pipeage a day by hand. The grapes are then pressed and the wine is matured in a mixture of stainless steel and old American oak barrels (400L).The wine is blended after 4 months. The wine is unfiltered and unfined.
Tasting Note This year’s Sarau feels more vibrant and fun with red plum notes and bruised blueberry, lifted by savoury leather and smoked lavender.
Tripolar
Vintage 2022
Style Red
Region Ràbos, Empordà
Varieties Muscat d’Alexandria
ABV 11%
Soils Rocky Slate
Farming Organic
Winemaking This wine is composed of grapes harvest in three different periods. The first grapes are early harvested, pressed and the juice is boiled. The second batch of fruit is also harvested early or not fully ripe and are then dried in the sun for 5 weeks. The last batch of grapes are late harvested to add richness to the blend. The different batches are spontaneously fermented separately and blended together afterwards. 10% of the wine spends one year in an old rancio wine barrel. The wine is unfiltered and unfined.
Tasting Note