In 1914, needing new land to plant vineyards, Manuel Ravent?s, son of Josep Ravent?s (who introduced the Traditional Method for making sparkling wine in Spain) purchased a large, stony desert, 100 miles from Barcelona. A plan to build a canal from the Pyrenees would enable the area to be irrigated. Costers del Segre has one of the lowest average rainfalls in Spain, but with the right irrigation, Ravent?s knew this could be turned to an advantage. Raimat?s metamorphosis from a desert into Spain?s most remarkable wine estate took decades. In fact, over time a village and train station evolved on the estate to support an effort that was subsequently formally acknowledged by the Government as a significant social achievement for the region. Later collaboration with the University of California, Davis further prepared the estate for the production of world-class wines.
