2022 PARTIDA CREUS Tinto Natural TN

Grape Varietal: Tempranillo, Sumoll & Bobal

Country: Spain

Region: Baix Penedès, Catalonia

The Wine: Partida Creus is the project of Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerona, an Italian couple from Piedmont who left architecture behind, settled in the Massís de Bonastre in the Baix Penedès in 2001, and became known locally as the "crazy Italians" for rescuing the abandoned, low-yielding old-vine plots their neighbors had written off — Sumoll, Garrut, Bobal, Vinyater, and others — farming them organically, often with the help of their donkey Orazio and mule Vicenza, with no chemicals, no selected yeasts, and no added sulfur at any stage. TN stands for Tinto Natural — Massimo and Antonella's daily red — a blend of Tempranillo, Sumoll, and Bobal from old vines on calcareous clay soils, whole-cluster macerated for four days, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, then aged 10 months in large old wooden barrels and bottled unfiltered, unfined, and sulfur-free.

The 2022 TN Tinto Natural is a raw, low-alcohol red with the kind of directness and energy that makes you want to drink it with food immediately. It opens with aromas of wild strawberry, dried cranberry, and crushed grape skin, lifted by a note of humus and a faint spice. On the palate, it is light-bodied and juicy with bright, food-driven acidity, soft tannins, and a finish that is earthy, slightly tannic, and honest — best served with a chill.

Pairing: Roast pork shoulder with herbs and garlic, a plate of cured meats and aged sheep's milk cheese, grilled octopus with smoked paprika and potatoes, or a long Catalan lunch of bread, tomato, olive oil, and whatever's on the table.