Ladies and Gentlemen, dear colleagues.
A few words about the life of our colleague Carlos Esteva.
At the Académie Internationale du Vin, we have lost a great person and a remarkable reference for great Catalan and Spanish wines.
Carlos Esteva Grewe died on June 10, 2023 at the age of 72. His health had not been good for years, and he had suffered and overcome serious illnesses.
Carlos Esteva, born in Barcelona on June 30, 1950, had been a full member of the Académie Internationale du Vin since 1994. His enthusiasm and will to live were obvious. Who doesn’t remember his presence and commendable tenacity at the Academy’s Symposiums? Thank you Carlos for your testimony.
An economist by training, he began his activity in the wine world at a very young age, 26, with his mini hippie wine project in Ibiza. I’m sure these early beginnings were the catalyst for many successful wine projects and actions throughout his life.
In 1979, he revived the family estate Can Ráfols dels Caus (Avinyonet del Penedès), a 17th-century family farm.
He was the driving force behind, and a great defender of, the wines of his region: El Garraf. And the first president of the Associació de Viticultors del Massís del Garraf.
He was a pioneer producing still white wines in a typical sparkling wine region like El Penedès.
He rediscovered the xarel-lo grape, fermented in chestnut barrels, a shining example being his Xarel-lo Pairal,
He was also one of the first to adapt international varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Incrocio Manzoni to his terroir.
He has recovered native varieties and traditional growing methods.
He has opted for vineyard excellence, respectful viticulture and respect for the landscape as a territory’s identity.
All elements that are part of his personality.
Carlos Esteva believed that a great wine always expresses, in addition to its terroir, the individuality of its maker”.
He was convinced that “exceptional wines have a discourse that goes far beyond what we are able to perceive with our eyes, nose and mouth. You have to fight for the invisible”.
To his children, he said: “You must be warriors of life, which means always acting with your conscience and in the best possible way, always facing up to reality, which is not always easy. In time, this will give you security and confidence, as well as the pleasure of living.
To conclude, the winery team, with its director Jordi Esteva as spokesman, sent us this sentiment, which sums up much of the personality and good work of this winemaker-vigneron:
“All of us who had the chance to get to know the more personal side of Carlos will remain marked by his immense human qualities and his forward-looking vision of life.
A tireless fighter who always knew how to move forward with his own vision, overcoming all the adversity and opposition he encountered along the way.
The legacy he leaves us is infinite.
Let’s move forward together¨
30 November 2023
