Celler Castell del Remei

Celler Castell del Remei is a historic wine estate and winery located in Penelles, in the La Noguera comarca of Catalonia, Spain. The estate is centred on the nineteenth-century Castell del Remei, a quadrangular manor house with four circular corner towers, accompanied by a classicist sanctuary and the remains of a historic agricultural colony. The property sits amid vineyards, groves and lakes, and the winery describes itself as maintaining the oldest fine-wine cellar in Catalonia in full operation, with international prestige. The winery produces wines under the Denominació d'Origen Costers del Segre, subzone Urgell, using both estate-owned and rented vineyards. The first documentary reference to the estate dates to 1780, and the current cellars were built at the end of the nineteenth century. The estate is directed by the viticulturist and oenologist Tomàs Cusiné, recognised as one of the country's leading wine assemblers. Annual production is reported at around 800,000 bottles of white and red wine, marketed under names including 1780, Oda, Gotim Bru and Gotim Blanc. The estate also includes a restaurant and offers visits, tastings and cultural activities through the Fundació Castell del Remei.

The estate that now hosts Celler Castell del Remei has deep historical roots. The land was part of the Roman centuriation of the territory, and in 1743 a high-imperial Roman stele was found there, dedicated by Marcus Antonius Nachus to his wife Atilia Lucilla. The earliest medieval references to what became Torreneral appear in repopulation documents: on 10 June 1079, Count Ermengol IV of Urgell and his wife Lucia endowed the founding of the Monastery of Gualter by Benedictine monks from the Monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, granting half of the so-called quadra de Cortessa, the primitive name of the Castell del Remei estate. The other half was given to Airalli Bernardi de Tolone, an Occitan knight who accompanied the count in the reconquest; the name Torre d'Airalli evolved into Torre de n'Eral, Torre Neral and Torreneral. In 1123 the Monastery of Gualter inherited the other half. In 1414 King Ferdinand I of Antequera sold Torreneral to the Abbey of Poblet, which divided the estate into two parts: the Torre dels Frares and the Torre del Bisbe. Ownership was shared between the monasteries of Gualter and Poblet, with Poblet the largest landowner in the area. In 1592 the Monastery of Gualter was secularised, and its assets passed to the newly created Diocese of Solsona. In 1699 the property was divided: 131 hectares (Torre dels Frares) went to Poblet and 393 hectares (Torre del Bisbe) to the Diocese of Solsona. In 1820, at the start of the Liberal Triennium, the religious orders were suppressed, leading to the sale of the estate. The first documentary reference to the wine estate dates to 1780, and the current cellars were built at the end of the nineteenth century. They consist of six adjoining naves covering 5,500 square metres, with iron joist structures built on stone walls up to 60 cm thick. The naves are semi-buried to avoid temperature variations, and one nave stands out with a 12.5-metre Catalan vault. Half of the space is used for ageing wines and the other half for dispatch. The winery produces wines under the DO Costers del Segre, subzone Urgell, under the name Castell del Remei, with 15 hectares of own vineyards and 75 hectares rented. Varieties cultivated include sauvignon blanc, macabeu and chardonnay among whites, and merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, ull de llebre, garnatxa and pinot noir among reds. Annual production is 800,000 bottles of white and red wine marketed as 1780, Oda, Gotim Bru and Gotim Blanc. The estate is directed by the viticulturist Tomàs Cusiné, a recognised oenologist considered one of the best wine assemblers in the country. The property also includes a classicist sanctuary, a restaurant, and cultural activities organised by the Fundació Castell del Remei.

• 1820

  Suppression of religious orders during the Liberal Triennium leads to the sale of the estate.

• 1780

  First documentary reference to the wine estate.

• 1743

  A high-imperial Roman stele is found on the estate.

• 1699

  The property is divided: 131 ha to Poblet and 393 ha to the Diocese of Solsona.

• 1592

  The Monastery of Gualter is secularised and its assets pass to the Diocese of Solsona.

• 1414

  King Ferdinand I of Antequera sells Torreneral to the Abbey of Poblet, which divides it into Torre dels Frares and Torre del Bisbe.

• Count Ermengol IV of Urgell and his wife Lucia endow the Monastery of Gualter, granting half of the quadra de Cortessa, the primitive name of the estate.

• The Monastery of Gualter inherits the other half of the estate.

• Current cellars built at the end of the 19th century.

Historic Catalan estate winery producing DO Costers del Segre wines with international prestige, combining wine tourism, gastronomy and cultural heritage.

• 1780

  Red and white wine named after the first documentary reference to the estate.

• Oda

  Wine produced by Celler Castell del Remei.

• Gotim Bru

  Red wine produced by Celler Castell del Remei.

• Gotim Blanc

  White wine produced by Celler Castell del Remei.

1. 1Celler Castell del Remei – Castell del Remeicastelldelremei.com
2. 2Castell del Remei – Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org
3. 3Celler Castell del Remei – Wikidatawikidata.org