Arnon Grunberg Wines, Madrid, Spain Über uns

Arnon Grunberg Wines is an initiative of wine entrepreneur Aris Derksen that led to the partnership with the famous Dutch writer Arnon Grunberg. Aris Derksen initiated worldwide brand communication strategy, creative development and tactical execution to launch the brand worldwide and provided all the necessary funds. The brand now ranks number 1 on the web site of the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant in terms of profitability and awareness. http://webwinkel.volkskrant.nl/eten-en-drinken/rood/grunberg-wijn-freud-2007.html

Marques de Griñon, Madrid, Spain (www.pagosdefamilia.com)

Derksen called upon the savvy and expertise of Carlos Falcó the owner of the family winery Marques de Griñon, to make the first wine in a series of three wines under the Grunberg brand name. On the family estate of the Marques de Griñon in Madrid they created together with Arnon Grunberg an unique blend based on the Syrah and Garnacha grapes. Now on sale by the leading newspaper in the Netherlands De Volkskrant.Imported in Holland by Vinites in Haarlem

Freud

Arnon Grunberg Wines is the general name for a series of terroir wines. The first wine in this series carries the name of FREUD. FREUD hit the international markets at the end of June 2010 kicking off in the home country of the writer. Grunberg and Derksen reached an agreement with Vinites in Haarlem (www.vinites.com) for the exclusive distribution of the Arnon Grunberg Wines in Holland. Other European markets follow soon. The US, where Grunberg has lived and worked since 1995 in New York City, will be targeted this fall.

THE IDEA THAT BECAME A WINE

“I want to leave the world a wine

with the name Grunberg.”

Page 101, Chambermaids and Soldiers (2009)

New York

When Aris Derksen read these lines in May 2009 he wrote Arnon Grunberg an e-mail offering his help with creating a wine called Grunberg. The two met in New York City in the late spring of 2009 on the terrace of a tea house near Grunberg’s apartment. After some tea, a lot of talking, dinner at Grunberg’s favourite Italian restaurant, some wine and even more talking they decided to create three wines under the name Grunberg. They were convinced that the world could not do without it.

Spain

Back in Spain Aris Derksen approached Andreas Kubach (Managing Director) and Carlos Falcó (proprietor) of the award winning boutique winery Pagos Marques de Griñon with the idea of making a wine with the name Arnon Grunberg. After reading some of Grunberg’s novels Andreas Kubach and Carlos Falcó were very enthusiastic about the idea of linking a top wine with top literature and so the first wine especially made for Arnon Grunberg by Marques de Griñon was launched through Vinites in Holland in June 2010. Grunberg called his first wine FREUD, as a salute to Sigmund Freud. The illustration is from Roland Topor, one of Grunberg’s favorite artists.

CURRENT RELEASE

FREUD 2007

The wine

A very rare, handmade warm climate grown Syrah and Garnacha blend produced with the best grapes from the vineyard “El Rincon” in the province of Madrid. This premium wine is the ultimate expression of fruit and elegance: the flavors of our special vineyard sites—soil, slope, water and climate—modified by the influence of the vintage, and carefully nurtured by our dedicated vineyard and winemaking team under direct supervision of master wine maker Carlos Falcó, Marques de Griñon.

Powerful elegance

Hands free winemaking influenced by wine consultant Michel Roland, includes the use of gravity fed tanks, destemming instead of crushing, limited use of new oak and bottling without fining or filtration.

Varietals

Syrah and Garnacha

Aging

10 months in new French oak (Allier)

Color

Inky purple with a touch of ruby

Nose

Cedar, clove, vanilla, brown sugar, coffee and spice

Mouth

Vanilla, tobacco, black cherry flavor, cassis, anise and clove

Analysis

Alcohol: 14,5% ABV

Residual sugar: 2,0 gr/L

Ph: 3,9

Enjoy

Within 6-8 years

Best with

Salads, pasta, meat dishes, risotto, cheese and while reading Grunberg’s novels

Appellation

D.O. Vinos de Madrid

Quantities made

Freud Vintage 2007: 12.000 bottles (commercialized since July 2010)

Freud Vintage 2008: 25.000 bottles (ready in July 2011)

Availability

Freud 2007 is currently sold in Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

UK, Denmark, USA, Canada and other markets to be followed soon.

Finca El Rincón

“Finca El Rincón”, surrounding the estate of "Palacio de El Rincón", is the family residence of Carlos Falcó Fernandez de Cordova, marquis of Griñon, situated at 55 km. south west of the capital in the province of Madrid. In 2000, 9 hectares of vineyards were planted on the 1600 hectares estate. The vineyards composed of limestone topped by more than a foot of topsoil were planted with 90% Syrah and 10% Garnacha. They are within the borders of the appellation D.O. Vinos de Madrid.

Vineyard management

Use of modern trellises advised by Richard Smart, the famous Australian viticulturalist and a consultant to Marques de Griñon since 1992. The Smart-Dyson conduction system allows even exposure of bunches and leaves to sunlight and therefore uniform ripening of the grapes, which is a key factor in the success of the wines.

The vines are permanently supervised including the use of dendrometers to monitor water stress in the vines and c-probes that measure soil water content at different depths.

Winery El Rincón

In 2001 a small winery was built on the estate for the elaboration of approximate 50.000 bottles per year. The first wine from the family estate El Rincon was released in 2005.