Celler FrisachFrancesc & Joan
Two brothers, 200 years of roots, and the revival of a village devastated by war. Guardians of rare Vernatxa Gris and the forgotten grapes of Terra Alta.
From selling grapes to bottling history—the Ferré brothers' mission to revive Corbera d'Ebre through Vernatxa.
For over 200 years, the Ferré family has farmed grapes in Corbera d'Ebre, a village scarred by the Spanish Civil War. Like most families here, they sold their harvest to the local cooperative—until 2009, when a large buyer cancelled at the last moment and brothers Francesc and Joan Ferré decided to forge their own path.
The name Frisach honors their great-grandfather; Ca' Frisach still marks the family home on the main street. Francesc, trained in oenology, and Joan, the viticulturist, transformed crisis into opportunity. They stopped selling their fruit and began bottling the truth of their land.
Corbera's old village, devastated by airstrikes in 1938, sits abandoned above the new town—a haunting reminder visible from their vineyards. Their wine Sang de Corb (Blood of the Crow) pays tribute to those who suffered here. Today, they fight not with weapons, but with preservation—rescuing rare varieties, reviving forgotten techniques, and keeping their village's memory alive through every bottle.
"Common sense, sometimes uncommon"—organic farming, rare varieties, and the resurrection of ancient Catalan techniques.
The Ferré brothers describe their approach as common sense, sometimes uncommon. Certified organic and working biodynamically, they employ spontaneous fermentation, minimal sulfur (often zero), and indigenous yeasts. But their philosophy runs deeper than technique—it's about preserving what makes Corbera unique.
Francesc is obsessed with Vernatxa Gris, a pink-skinned grape with only 3 hectares remaining in all of Terra Alta—the Frisach family owns 2.5 of them. They use traditional trulls (underground cement tanks) built by their grandparents, and revive brisat winemaking—skin-contact whites that date back centuries in this region.
"We are like a tree," they say, "the roots bound to clay and stones, the branches dreamers like leaves in the air." Their wines balance freshness with the extreme heat of Terra Alta, proving that this climate can produce wines of elegance and tension, not just power.
Uncommon
Panal soils and twin winds. The fossilized sand dunes of Corbera d'Ebre where Vernatxa finds its voice.
Soil
Fossilized sand dunes over calcareous clay. Poor in organic matter, rich in minerals. The sand provides drainage and freshness; the clay retains humidity in this arid climate. Iron-rich soils lend saline, blood-like notes to the reds.
Climate
The Cierzo blows cold from the Pyrenees; the Saharan wind brings dry heat from Africa. These competing forces stress the vines, thicken skins, and create wines of surprising freshness despite the scorching days.
Old Vines
Bush-trained vines ranging from 30 to 85+ years old, including a precious one-hectare plot planted in 1945 with mixed Vernatxa and Carinyena—field-blend heritage that survived the war and phylloxera.
From the entry-level Abrunet to the historic Sang de Corb—wines that taste of Corbera's memory and resilience.
L'Abrunet
Named after the swallows that grace the Terra Alta skies, representing youth and freedom. Available in Blanc (Vernatxa), Rosat (rare Gris blend), and Negre (Garnatxa/Carinyena). Fresh, immediate, and designed for joy.
La Foradada
The wine that put Frisach on the map. 100% Vernatxa Blanca fermented on skins for two weeks in neutral oak. Textured, tangerine-tinged, and saline. Jon Bonné selected it as one of six "Essential Orange Wines" globally.
Sang de Corb
"Blood of the Crow." A powerful blend of Vernatxa Fina, Vernatxa Peluda, and Carinyena from the 1945 vineyard. Dedicated to the villagers who shed blood during the Civil War. Deep, earthy, iron-inflected, and profound.
Les Alifares
The nearly extinct Vernatxa Gris—pink-skinned, exotic, ethereal. From 65-year-old vines at 450m on fully exposed panal soils. Fermented whole-cluster with 30 days skin contact. Pale, haunting, and unique.
L'Anit
The newest addition—100% Carinyena from the family's oldest vineyard (85+ years). Fermented whole-cluster with stems for one month. Split aging between old barrels and amphora. Spicy, bloody, balsamic, and ageworthy.
Vernatxa
The benchmark white. 30-year-old Vernatxa Blanca on petrified sand dunes at 400m. Fermented and aged in trulls (underground cement). Chablis-like in its tension, saline minerality, and aging potential.
L'Abrunet Rosat
A field blend of 50% Vernatxa Gris, 30% Vernatxa Blanca, and 20% Vernatxa Negra from a single vineyard. All varieties harvested and co-fermented together. 24-hour skin contact before pressing. Pale salmon, red fruit, sea breeze.
La Foradada Red
Occasional red experiments from the Foradada vineyard, playing with carbonic maceration and lighter extractions. When produced, it represents Francesc's most playful, "Jura-meets-Terra Alta" moment.
Guardians of Memory
Celler Frisach is more than a winery—it is an act of cultural preservation. In a region where young people fled to cities and old vineyards were ripped out for almonds, Francesc and Joan chose to stay, plant, and remember.
They have become the unlikely custodians of Vernatxa Gris, saving it from extinction. Their annual trips to the Jura to cook paella for friends have woven them into the fabric of Europe's natural wine community, yet they remain firmly rooted in Corbera's tragic, beautiful history.
- Preserving 83% of world's Vernatxa Gris
- Restoring 1945 pre-war vineyard
- Reviving trull underground cement vinification
- Documenting Corbera's Civil War history
- Mentoring next generation Terra Alta growers
- Jon Bonné "Essential Orange Wine" selection