Franck Massard : wine in all its facets
Vigneron Franck Massard has had a magnificent and unconventional journey in the fabulous world of wine. Initially a professional sommelier in Michelin-starred restaurants and voted Best Sommelier of England in 1996, he decided in 2004 to embark on a vineyard project that led him to the heart of the Priorat region in Spain.
He first acquired, with a sommelier friend, a small plot in the village of El Molar, south of Barcelona, where his first cuvée, Huellas, was born in 2007.
He then decided to establish his own estate in the hills above the village of Poboleda, about thirty kilometers north of El Molar, an area considered one of the coolest in Priorat. Here, the vineyards benefit from a unique microclimate with altitudes ranging from 300 to 550 meters above sea level. The convergence of the Cierzo winds (cold wind from the interior hills) and Garbi winds (Mediterranean wind that tempers temperatures) creates an ideal temperature range for grape maturity and freshness.
From there begins Franck Massard’s wine production journey, where he succeeds in bringing a breath of fresh air to Priorat wines, renowned for their power and density. He pays homage to the region’s grape varieties (Carignan, Grenache, Mencia) and captures the essence of the terroir and each vintage by minimizing interventions in the cellar and practicing entirely organic viticulture. The wines are vinified with the aim of preserving the fruit’s brightness, which is why he favors the use of 500-liter barrels and amphorae. Today, he produces several cuvées reflecting the different appellations around the estate, such as Terra Alta, Ribeira Sacra, Montsant, and of course, Priorat.
Franck Massard also leads Epicure Wines, a company whose aim is to identify and represent authentic, high-quality wines, crafted by artisans and marked by the terroir of the various wine regions of Spain.
From sommelier to winemaker, through representation, marketing, and oenology, one can truly say that he is a great lover of wine, in all its facets!
