CORPINNAT posthumously awards the title of Honorary President to Xavier Gramona Sande

September 28, 2023
Xavier Gramona Sande at a Corpinnat event
  • The AVEC general assembly unanimously approves the award of this title in recognition of the commitment and loyalty to the brand of one of its founders and the first president of the collective brand.

  • CORPINNAT president Ton Mata states that the implementation of the Catalan Wine Law is an opportunity to segment all wineries in Catalonia according to their production model, based on the vertical integration of companies, for the entirety of their legal entity.

Subirats, 28 September 2023.- The General Assembly of the CORPINNAT-AVEC Association of Winegrowers and Producers has unanimously approved, with the support of all members, the posthumous award of the title of Honorary President of the brand to Xavier Gramona, who died this summer. With this gesture, the CORPINNAT group seeks to recognise the work, commitment and loyalty of one of the brand's founders and its first president. The values of love for farming and the land that he always defended with conviction and determination are today one of the main pillars of our organisation and the best legacy he could have left us. If CORPINNAT is a reality today, it is to a large extent thanks to his contributions and the personal commitment he devoted to it.

The distinction was awarded this Thursday at the second edition of the CORPINNAT Nit de Verema, which brought together more than 150 people at the Llopart winery, this year's host. CORPINNAT president Ton Mata led the tribute to Xavier Gramona, together with the other producers in the brand, and presented Leonard Gramona, son of the deceased and current member of the CORPINNAT board representing the Gramona family, with an original ceramic piece by Sant Sadurní artist María José Torres, which represents the two souls of Xavier Gramona: the more earthly one, tied to the land and farming, and, at the same time, the more spiritual and rebellious one. Leonard Gramona expressed his gratitude to the CORPINNAT group and, on behalf of the Gramona family, reiterated its commitment and loyalty to the project. The event was attended by a large representation of the Gramona family, headed by the winery's president and winemaker, Jaume Gramona, Xavier Gramona's cousin.

Beforehand, CORPINNAT president Ton Mata gave a speech to all those present in which he highlighted the consolidation of the collective brand in both the domestic and export markets, and the perception among end consumers of corpinnats as quality sparkling wines with a specific origin and one of the most demanding regulations in the world. Mata also referred to Incavi's revival of the Catalan Wine Law and stated that this law opens up an opportunity to regulate the sector and segment all wineries in Catalonia according to their production model and for their entire legal entity. According to Mata, this is a duty to the consumer, in order to be more rigorous and transparent.

CORPINNAT believes and proposes that all wineries producing and marketing wines should be categorised, by legal entity, on the basis of the classification of their working system in both viticulture and winemaking, taken together. Thus, as Ton Mata pointed out, "we believe that the best way to guarantee the vast majority of these objectives is through segmentation according to production model, based on the vertical integration of companies, for the entirety of their legal entity".

"we believe that the best way to guarantee the vast majority of these objectives is through segmentation according to production model, based on the vertical integration of companies, for the entirety of their legal entity"

Ton Mata

On the basis of the following prior classification of the winery, using a system similar to the one already used in France, which must obviously appear on the label and in the promotion of its wines, either explicitly or with an identifying logo or initials that may be created to regulate their presence and format, and which must be mandatory for all wine companies in Catalonia, whether or not they are covered by a DO, DOQ, IG or MCUE, CORPINNAT proposes 5 categorisation figures, always by legal entity, not by the products the company makes.

FIGURE 1. WINEGROWER-PRODUCER

100% estate vinification with a minimum of 95% of the grapes from the company's own vineyards; the remaining 5% must come from the same nearby area or DO (where applicable), under long-term purchase contracts that clearly respect the minimum cost of third-party grapes.

The entry of wines produced by others (wineries, wholesalers, cooperatives, etc.) for production or bottling is strictly prohibited.

Musts are only permitted for the tirage and expedition liqueur in the case of sparkling wines and quality sparkling wines.

FIGURE 2. VINIFIER-PRODUCER

100% estate vinification across the entire legal entity, with grapes from its own vineyards or from third parties in the vicinity or DO (where applicable), under long-term purchase contracts that clearly respect the minimum cost of third-party grapes. The entry of wines produced by others (wineries, wholesalers, cooperatives, etc.) for production or bottling is strictly prohibited. Musts are only permitted for the tirage and expedition liqueur in the case of sparkling wines and quality sparkling wines.

FIGURE 3. NÉGOCIANT

A company that buys bulk wine and bottles it, whether for sparkling or still wines, even if only for a percentage, following the guidelines of its DO (where applicable).

FIGURE 4. BRAND OWNER

A company that labels under third-party brands, whether individual companies or distributors. Even if only for a percentage.

FIGURE 5. COOPERATIVE

Cooperative wines made at the cooperative, whether for its own marketing or under its members' brands.

At CORPINNAT we also call for the right to use the name of the municipality where the vineyards and wineries are located.

Ton Mata closed his speech by extending a hand to dialogue with both the administration and the wine sector as a whole, in order to build and secure together, without exception, a rigorous, transparent legal framework that safeguards the end consumer and prioritises quality and territory above all else.

Presentation of Corpinnat's Honorary President award