Almaroja
Charlotte Allen of Bodega Almaroja is an English expat living in the village of Fermoselle, the "Wild West" of Spain, where she's known as Carlota the Francesa. She makes her wines from 75+-year-old organic vineyards, co-fermenting these field blends, which contain up to 16 different red and white varietals that few have heard of. Her average yield is 10 hectoliters per hectare (about a half ton per acre--very little).
In the vineyard, Charlotte tends the vines herself, except during the harvest, when she employs pickers. Everything is organic, and she adheres to some biodynamic practices and calendars (aiming to work on the weaker parcels on the appropriate days of the calendar, and the stronger parcels on the days surrounding, also using certain biodynamic preparations, for example). Treatments for disease, when needed, are taken care of with botanical blends (such as sage and nettle).
