RIM
About
Moving to his grandfather’s hometown of Rabós in 2014, Jordi began to seek not only vineyards to work but also people from whom to learn. He was the youngest person in the village by far and was initially greeted with a bit of suspicion; eventually, however, he began to make friends with the older residents of Rabós. These folks began to share with him their knowledge of how wine was made in the intense hills of the Alt Empordà before industry removed the majority of the population to the bigger cities to work factory jobs. In some cases, Jordi even was hearing oral accounts of pre-phylloxera winemaking—and it’s phylloxera and war that were the one-two punch that destroyed what previously was a huge and vibrant winemaking community all throughout this appellation.
Now, with the help of some amazing local mentors and tips on old vineyards hidden amongst the forest, scrub, and olive groves of these mountain foothills, Jordi is working six different parcels, two owned, four rented; all of the vineyards are bush-trained, which is the tradition here; all farming is organic; everything is done with meticulous, even meditative hand labor. The vineyards’ yields are laughably low. These parcels and Jordi’s work with them, however, manage to express the particular intensity of the region, so different from the rest of Catalunya: it borders on wilderness. The wines at RIM, entirely conducted in stainless steel via spontaneous fermentation, have an unlikely elegance and vibrance, but they’re underpinned with the intensity of mountains rammed up against the sea; they speak of hard soils and an exposed, rugged place.
Jordi says: “The Empordà, specifically in the area where we live, is a hard land, with very extreme slate and a lot of sun. This, added to the old varieties—the Garnachas and Carignan—communicate enormous power. With red wines, I look for a certain maturity that conveys this idea of power, but I try to give a contrast in the cellar, more freshness from shorter macerations. With the rosés and whites, I also look for a certain maturity, but I like the wines to come out light enough, around 13% alcohol. (In the Alt Empordà, this conveys proper ripeness of fruit while still being ‘light.’) In a more philosophical sense, I look for a balance between technique and authenticity; I look for depth in wines. As a taster, I like to drink authentic wines, which are well-made but also a point of ‘naturalness’ that takes you to the vineyard when you drink. This point of balance is not easy to achieve—sometimes the wines have ‘escaped’ to wilder spaces that may not be my goal, but it is part of the learning process.”
We get a tiny amount of the wines from RIM each year, as Jordi only tends about six hectares and produces around 15,000 bottles annually, depending on vintage. We’re tickled to have them, however—few producers render wines that speak so transparently to the place and the traditions out of which they arise. These are intellectually challenging wines, in their way – the rosés are ruddy and tawny; the top white ‘Jan Blanc’ like a great dry Jurançon with age; the top reds, while the finest wines at the domaine, are for lovers of rawhide, dirt, and roses. (Devotees of the northern Rhône are not remiss in investigating.) We’re proud to represent this small winery and Jordi’s labors, however, as we know both north and south of the Pyrenees, and really along the shores of the Mediterranean, there’s almost nothing being produced quite like RIM.
Products
Sarau Blanc
Organic. 50% Garnacha Rosa, 50% Macabeu. Taken from two different vineyard parcels in Empordà, 40 and 50 years of age, elevations between 30-100m. Vineyard land totals .5ha. Slate soils, which are only found in Priorat in Catalonia otherwise. The vineyards are vinified separately then blended together after fermentation due to different ripenesses of the parcels; one day on the skins, then ferment at a moderate temperature in steel tanks. Unfined/unfiltered, no more than 20ppm SO2 added before bottling.
Jan Negre
Organic. 100% Carignan. Sourced from a single vineyard of 100 year-old vines of Carignan on slate; this is low-yielding and very concentrated fruit. Jordi works this vineyard with Jan, a local 80 year-old vigneron he's befriended over the years, hence the cuvée name. It's Jordi's top wine and has the most acidity and concentration of any of the RIM bottlings. 11-13 days of maceration, then ferment is in stainless; elevage is split: 50% stainless tanks and 50% 400L neutral barrels. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2 added. A bottle that deeply reflects the terroir of the Empordà appellation.
Vides Velles
Organic. 100% Carignan. Cuvée name means 'old lives' in Catalan, a reference to the heritage of the village farmers in Empordà who have preserved Carignan as a typical variety in this rural appellation. Taken from two vineyards bordering a small river, whose alluvial rock and cooling influence result in a lighter, more elegant expression of Carignan. 10 days of maceration, very gentle pigeage each day done by Jordi by hand; fermentation and elevage in stainless steel. Unfined/unfilted, 20 ppm max SO2 added at bottling.
Sarau Negre
Jan Blanc
Organic. 30% Grenache Blanc, 30% Grenache Gris, 20% Macabeu, 20% Carignan Blanc and a mix rare native Empordà white varieties (Picapoll, Jaqué, Jauminc, Saixalà). All white varieties co-macerated for 24 hours, pressed off to ferment in stainless steel tank. Rested on full lees for around six months before bottling. This rarest of wines from RIM comes from one single bush-trained vineyard, 100+ years of age. One of the oldest parcels at the heart of the bottling belongs and is tended to by Jordi’s elder friend in Rabós named Jan; it was planted by Jan’s grandfather immediately after phylloxera destroyed most vineyards in the area. The vineyard is only .2ha, and is predominantly planted to red varieties, so the quantity of Jan Blanc produced is miniscule. An homage to knowledge of viticulture in Empordà from an earlier time.
Contraban
Organic. 95% Grenache, 5% Muscat d’Alexandria. Sourced from one vineyard of 30 year-old Grenache and one vineyard of 60 year-old Muscat d'Alexandria, both on fully slate soils. Co-macerated for 36 hours, pressed off to ferment in stainless steel tank. Rested on full lees for around six months before bottling. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2 added. ‘Contraban’ is a wink and a nod to a time during Franco’s dictatorship where laws about what could cross over the Roussillon border with Empordà became very strict, and black market trade over the Pyrenees flourished as a result. These wines are always made with some ‘contraband’ fruit from a Roussillon grower with whom Jordi is friends—the source and the grower changes each year.
Contraban Pet Nat
Organic. 95% Grenache Noir, 5% Muscat d'Alexandria. Sourced from one vineyard of 30 year-old Grenache and one vineyard of 60 year-old Muscat d'Alexandria, both on fully slate soils. Co-macerated for 36 hours, pressed off to ferment in stainless steel tank. Rested on full lees before bottling, which happened just a few days before fermentation completed to make a natural sparkling wine. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2 added. ‘Contraban’ is a wink and a nod to a time during Franco’s dictatorship where laws about what could cross over the Roussillon border with Empordà became very strict, and black market trade over the Pyrenees flourished as a result. These wines are always made with some ‘contraband’ fruit from a Roussillon grower with whom Jordi is friends—the source and the grower changes each year.
Tot D'Una
Organic. 33% Grenache Noir, 33% Grenache Blanc, 33% Grenache Gris. Taken from a single vineyard called ‘La Fita,’ a 40 year-old field blend of Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc, and Grenache Gris. The site is secluded and wild, fully surrounded by forest. Wild boar are a major problem as a result, so Jordi can only make this wine in years where fruit makes it to harvest. Co-macerated for 36 hours, pressed off to ferment in stainless steel tank. Rested on full lees for around six months before bottling. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2 added. 'Tot d'Una' translates roughly to 'Everything as One.'
