Azimut - 'Brisat Orange' - Parellada, Moscatel, Grenache Blanc, Sumoll Blanc - ES - 2024

Satellite's Hot Take

Beautiful and direct - this is an orange wine for any patio, any salad, any apèro. Perfect.

Notes from the Winery/Importer

"AZIMUT is the direction that the sailorman takes watching his path forward. The AZIMUT path it’s to offer consumers a high quality Bio product. The AZIMUT route goes through buying grapes at a fair price from conscious grape growers and to elaborate them in our winery." Vineyards: grapes from different areas of the Penedès: MARINA DEL GARRAF (coast): Mosctaell and Garnatxa Blanca from the Bartra family (Masia la Serra). CONCA DEL RIU FOIX (central): Sumoll Blanc from Artur Freixedas (Bellestar estate). Parellada from Guilamany family (Can Guineu estate). +500 COSTERS DEL MONTMELL (mountain): Parellada from Josep Martí and Kiko de Can Figueras. Moscatell from the Puig family (Gatalletes estate). Winery: elaboration in our own winery with the following commitment from the Suriol family: Natural fermentation with the grapes own yeasts. No filtration or any other physical treatment. No addition of any chemical with the exception of sulfites at the moment of bottling at maximum 30ppm. Aging: 3 months in underground concrete tanks

Notes on the Producer

Location: the village of Grabuac, DO Penedés, Catalonia, Spain Owner & winemaker: Assís Suriol and his family Vineyard area: 30 hectares (~74 acres), estate-owned + purchased organic grapes from neighbors for the Azimut line Vineyard management: certified organic (CCPAE, since 1996), practicing biodynamics Soils: clay, limestone, loam Main varieties: traditional regional Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo for whites, Monastrell, Garnacha, Tempranillo for the reds Winemaking: Spontaneous primary fermentation, stainless steel vats, amphorae from local clay, and concrete tanks. The sparkling wines are secondary-bottle-fermented and aged on lees in accordance with the Cava DO rules. No fining, no filtering, little to no SO2 added. Annual production (approx.): 90,000 bottles for the Suriol estate wines, 120,000 for the Azimut line Fun facts: The estate is based in Castell de Grabuac, a medieval farmhouse built in the 15th century, where the Suriol family has been farming the property since the 1600s In 1890, the infamous phylloxera pest killed all their vines, causing the owners to replant all the vineyards with American rootstock some 10 years later The winery focuses on sustainability in all aspects. For example, the glass bottles are generally sourced within 100 km from the estate, and the winery has installed solar panels covering a big part of their electric supply The Suriol family produces wines under two brands – the bottles sporting their name present a polished, estate-grown fruit, while the Azimut line denotes easy-going fun wines made from Suriol’s and their close neighbors’ organic grapes The family also runs a small rustic hotel and a restaurant as part of the property, offering a complete Mediterranean lifestyle experience to thirsty travelers. Many of the European winemakers we work with have been writing their family chronicles for quite some time – like the Suriols here, working on the same property since the early 1600s (and living in the area some 500 years before that). Originally a traditional mixed farm, the estate gradually became focused on grapes, despite the catastrophic arrival of phylloxera an aphid that nearly devastated vineyards in Europe at the time, including the Can Suriol ones, in 1890. But the family replanted and kept going: the 1940s marked the beginning of their production of bottled wine, first for own their use and to sell to local tavernas, and then in the 1980s, as Francesc Suriol Cantí, a chemistry graduate and oenologist took over and started bottling cavas under the family name that they still bear today. An even more important step (for both man and nature) came in the 1990s, when the Suriols decided to switch vineyard management completely to organics, rejecting pesticides, synthetic herbicides, and fertilizers. The estate got its official certification in 1996, and some 20 years later, Assís Suriol, its current head, took it even further by introducing biodynamic practices and limiting the use of sulfur. “The decisions we make are unique for each vine. We never apply general recipes to our vineyards, only Mediterranean viticulture based on ecology and the wisdom of our farming ancestors,” he says. “For us, the most important thing is not the certification, but a clean conscience and staying true to the local philosophy. The complicity of the moon cycles and the astral influences, although not as decisive as our daily work, are always helpful too.”  Following a truly holistic biodynamic approach, the sustainability effort extends to all areas of production – the farm’s “waste”, like compost and cow manure, is returned to the soil for its nourishment, a big part of their energy supply is covered by their own solar panels, the glass bottles are always sourced from the Iberian Peninsula and generally less than 100 km from Grabuac… Working with locally typical grapes such as Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, or Mataró and Garnacha rather than the globally present varieties is another part of the picture.  Residing in Penedés, an area renowned for its fine sparkling wines, the Suriols focus on secondary-bottle-fermented cavas, which are very elegant and delicately creamy thanks to their long aging on lees. Both the cavas and still wines are primary-fermented using only indigenous yeast: “We let nature choose the best yeast strains that will remain on the grape skins at the time of harvest. This way, each vineyard, variety, and vintage brings in a different type of yeast that then gives rise to a naturally vast array of flavor nuances in our wines.” The malolactic fermentation happens naturally as well, in concrete tanks rather than stainless steel; a choice that Assis explains as bringing more stability to the wine: “Concrete is without electrical charge, and the tanks offer good temperature stability especially when buried underground, as ours, are. Hence, they are perfect for slow aging with a naturally cleared and stable wine as the end result.”  A super important part of Suriol’s natural approach is their Azimut project, named after the Arabic word for direction. And the direction here is clear: promoting organic agriculture! Using their export network as well as connections to local farmers, Assis & co. have created a brand of fun, easy-drinking wines made from their own and certified organic grapes that they purchase from their neighbors, thus encouraging them to pursue respectful viticulture. Based on typical local grapes and the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, these wines are the perfect everyday dash of joy and color that can be enjoyed, as Assis would say, with a clear conscience.

Grapes & Style

Grenache Blanc

Grenache Blanc is the white-berried form of Grenache and an important grape in southern France and northern Spain. It appears in the southern Rhône, Roussillon, Priorat, Terra Alta, and other warm Mediterranean regions, often as part of blends but increasingly as a varietal wine.

In the vineyard, Grenache Blanc likes warm, dry climates and can build alcohol easily, so balance depends on farming, harvest timing, and keeping enough freshness. It’s useful in blends because it brings body and texture, but it can become heavy if it loses acidity.

In the glass, Grenache Blanc tends to show pear, green apple, citrus, fennel, herbs, and a rounded, sometimes waxy texture. The best versions are not just broad; they have enough mineral or savory tension to stay refreshing. It’s a great grape for white wines that feel Mediterranean without becoming soft.