Mas Candí

Mas Candí is a small, highly respected family winery located in Les Gunyoles d’Avinyonet, at the foothills of the Garraf Massif in the Penedès region of Catalonia. Established in 2006 by four friends and viticulturists — Ramon Jané, Mercè Canals, Toni Carbó, and Anna — the project was born from a shared vision: to recover abandoned vineyards, protect local grape varieties, and craft authentic wines that reflect the landscapes of the Penedès in their purest form.

The land surrounding Mas Candí has been cultivated by the families of the founders for generations, but their ancestors mostly sold grapes to cooperatives and large wineries. The new generation took a different path: they decided to transform their heritage into a modern, terroir-driven winery rooted in regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, and minimal intervention.

Origins & Philosophy

Mas Candí was founded with a clear guiding principle: respect for nature and identity before everything else. The team is deeply connected to their land, farming according to ecological principles and increasingly biodynamic practices. They avoid chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers, relying instead on cover crops, organic compost, and hands-on vineyard management.

The philosophy that defines Mas Candí can be summarized in three pillars:

1. Recover and protect old vineyards

They work with small, scattered vineyard parcels—many containing old and sometimes nearly forgotten varieties—located near the Garraf Massif, the Ordal mountains, and the Alt Penedès plateau.

2. Elevate native Catalan grape varieties

Mas Candí specializes in indigenous varieties that truly express the Penedès terroir, including Xarel·lo, Xarel·lo Vermell, Sumoll, Malvasia de Sitges, and Parellada.

3. Minimal intervention in the cellar

All wines ferment with native yeasts, and the winemaking style avoids excessive manipulation. Many wines are made without added sulphites, without fining or filtration, and with aging in neutral vessels—amphorae, old barrels, concrete eggs, or stainless steel—chosen to preserve purity and sense of place.

Their wines are known for being vibrant, saline, fresh, and deeply connected to the limestone soils and Mediterranean climate that shape them.

Vineyards & Terroir

Mas Candí farms parcels located across several micro-terroirs of the Penedès:

• Garraf Massif: calcareous, rocky soils, offering salinity and tension

• Les Gunyoles / Avinyonet: clay-limestone soils, producing structured, textural wines

• Ordal mountains: cooler microclimate, ideal for long-ripening varieties

• Alt Penedès plateau: higher elevation and diurnal shifts for freshness

Their vineyards range from 10 to over 70 years old, with many old bush vines that naturally yield lower quantities but greater concentration.

This mosaic of terroirs allows Mas Candí to craft a portfolio of wines that each highlight a different facet of the Penedès landscape.

Winemaking Style

Mas Candí is known for their clean, precise natural wines—expressive, full of personality, and deeply connected to the land.

Key hallmarks of their style include:

• Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts

• No additives aside from low, if any, sulphur at bottling

• No filtration or clarification to preserve texture

• Amphora, foudre, stainless steel, and old barrels used for aging

• Long lees contact to enhance complexity

• Focus on freshness and minerality, rather than heavy oak or extraction

The result is wines that are alive, energetic, and elegant, often featuring a distinctive salinity and Mediterranean herbal character.

Notable Wines & Varieties

While the winery crafts a wide range of cuvées each year, some of the emblematic wines include:

• Xarel·lo-based whites that showcase the grape’s depth, minerality, and subtle smokiness

• Xarel·lo Vermell rosés and whites with beautiful texture and color

• Malvasia de Sitges bottlings with aromatic lift and expressive acidity

• Sumoll reds that blend rustic charm with finesse

• Ancestral-method sparkling wines, fresh, vibrant, and unadorned

Each wine is produced in small quantities, reflecting the individuality of each parcel and vintage.

Identity & Vision

Mas Candí stands as a symbol of the modern Penedès: a region rediscovering itself by looking back at its roots. The winery represents:

• The revival of old varieties

• A commitment to sustainable and regenerative viticulture

• Respect for biodiversity and the living landscape

• A belief that the best wines express place rather than technique

Their goal is not volume or uniformity, but truth — truthful wines, truthful farming, and truthful storytelling through each bottle.