Ànima Negra
Brand Description
Ànima Negra was founded in 1994 when two self-taught friends — Pere Ignasi Obrador and Miquelàngel Cerdà — decided that the wines of their native Mallorca weren’t reaching full potential. Taking advantage of some unused milk tanks at the dairy farm owned by Pere’s family, they made two barriques of wine from Callet grapes (a native Mallorcan varietal) they’d purchased from local farmers. The initial results were so encouraging that the friends decided to form a partnership and continue pursuing their newly found passion for wine.
Location of Vineyard
Situated in the southeast of Mallorca, Ànima Negra winery produces its wines on the old country estate of Son Burguera, close to the town of Felanitx. The buildings date back to the 13th century, and contain a traditional winemaking area, which historically was used to supply wine for locals living on and near the estate.
Ànima Negra sources its grapes from more than 135 carefully selected parcels of land that the partners either own or control. Virtually all of these parcels are within a six-mile radius of the winery, and most of the vines are 50 to 85 years old.
Winemaking Philosophy
Natural farming is prioritized at Ànima Negra. The vines are dry-farmed and are not fertilized, helping to ensure they produce small, concentrated fruit. Chemical insecticides and herbicides are avoided in favor of biodynamic practices, and indigenous yeasts are used for almost all fermentation.The resulting unique, elegant wines have garnered worldwide praise, and earned a loyal following among fine wine enthusiasts throughout the world. In 2010, the Slow Food Movement honored Ànima Negra with induction into the Ark of Taste.
Pere Ignasi Obrador was born in Felanitx on the island of Mallorca. After completing high school, he began studying to be an optician. His studies were interrupted when he was called upon to manage his family’s dairy farm, overseeing production from more than 400 dairy cows. While running the dairy, he avidly pursued independent study, focusing on genetics and biology. In 1994, he decided to convert a large portion of the family farm to pursue a new project: the production of wine made from indigenous grapes, particularly Callet. He gained his oenology knowledge through personal experience and periodic consultation with universities and prestigious oenologists, including Joan Milà. Over the years, he has established friendships with different Spanish and French oenologists who have generously shared their advice.
Miguelàngel Cerdà was born and grew up in Mallorca in the town of Felanitx, where his interests included sailing and astronomy. At 18, he moved to Madrid (a period he refers to as his “exile”) to study aeronautical engineering, a pursuit he continued for five years. But missing the sea terribly, Miguel decided to return to Mallorca. For the next decade he sailed the Mediterranean (which he affectionately refers to as Quíbia Gran) as one of the crew on the ship Margaret Alison, meeting diverse peoples in his travels. In 1994, he joined with Pere Obrador to create Ànima Negra. Putting his knowledge of chemistry (gained from his engineering studies) to good use, he assists Pere Ignasi Obrador with winemaking. He credits his friends — winemakers Ana Martín, Pepe Hidalgo and Joan Milà — with vastly improving his wine knowledge and providing invaluable advice in crafting Ànima Negra’s wines.
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