Austria
With a series of video portraits, TV journalist Sibylle Tiessen takes us on a captivating journey into a world full of exciting projects, cultural diversity and authentic stories on Mallorca. Supported by TUI, the TUI Care Foundation and Majorca Daily Bulletin, viewers learn more about the island from a whole new perspective, from inspiring stories of locals to social, artistic, ecological, scientific and political aspects.
Episode 7: Focus on quality rather than quantity: The 4Kilos winery
When Francesc Grimalt Oliver stands among the vines, he is in his element. "This is my 33rd grape harvest. I have always been passionate about viticulture," he explains. In August 2006, he founded the 4Kilos winery together with his partner Sergio Caballero. With the simplest of means, a solid but good drop was created. "At the time, we invested a total of four million pesetas, hence the name 4Kilos. That was the equivalent of just under 20,000 euros. We could only buy the grapes, the barrels and the bottles. The bare essentials to get started."
In the meantime, the vineyards have increased to 40 hectares. The winery concentrates largely on indigenous grape varieties. "Our main wines are called 12Volts and 4Kilos," he says. While 4Kilos is mainly made from local grape varieties, 12Volts consists mostly of foreign varieties. The wines of the small bodega are characterised by a Mediterranean style. "We mainly produce light and fresh Mediterranean wines."
Overall, environmental protection and sustainability are at the forefront of Francesc Grimalt's mind. "Thanks to our knowledge, we are able to produce without leaving residues in the soil."
For Grimalt, the formula for producing lasting good wine is, above all, to understand the environment. "I believe that the more you adapt to the environment, the better your wines will be." Another aspect is to keep researching how to improve the quality.
A large part of the production is exported, with only about 20 to 30 percent being sold on the island. Grimalt focuses on quality rather than quantity. "We only sell small quantities and try to create a brand that way." Whenever he can, he goes travelling to find new inspiration. Nevertheless, he always likes to come back to his home island. He loves a certain monotony and a regular routine. "I am privileged because I have a job. I do exactly what I like most, which is wine."
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