Bodega Clandestina x Hélicoptère x Copilote

FERRAN LACRUZ

Tucked away in Sant Martí Sarroca, in the heart of Catalonia’s Penedès region, Bodega Clandestina is the singular project of Ferran Lacruz, a young winemaker driven by a clear, committed vision. Across 8 hectares of organically farmed vines, every gesture is deliberate: harvests are done by hand in 18 kg crates, and they work with indigenous yeasts, letting the wines ferment spontaneously. For fermentation and aging, they use a variety of vessels — amphorae, glass demijohns, and old barrels. With no added sulfites or other additives, and no filtration, the structure and integrity of each wine is preserved. At just 24, Ferran released his first vintage with one idea in mind: to reveal the full nobility of Xarel·lo, an emblematic grape too often relegated to industrial cava cuvées. Going against the grain of local practice, he carved out a personal, almost rebellious approach — to the point of being seen as an outsider in his own village. It’s thanks to the private import agency Symbiose that we can now taste his wines in Quebec. Their unlikely meeting happened at a wine fair in Italy: “ Suddenly, a small guy with a teenager’s face tugged on our shirt sleeve. He told us he’d been watching for a while and really liked the way we talked about wine. He said he was a Spanish winemaker, didn’t have an official booth, but had a few bottles to taste in his backpack. ” That was the beginning of a partnership we hope to enjoy for a long time to come.