Celebrating the Career of Joseph Puig

Mr. Puig visiting Washington, DC in 2015 presenting his wines to co-founders Pedro and Julio.

Whenever you learn the story of how something became great, you inevitably find that it is because of a few great people. Today, we want to dedicate our time to thanking Joseph Puig, someone who has inspired us, and helped make Chilean wines what they are today. After an illustrious career, Joseph has decided it’s time to hang up his winemaking shoes, kick back, and enjoy a well deserved retirement.

In many ways, we have Joseph to thank for the existence of Grand Cata itself. In 1979, Joseph led the company expansion of Catalan producer, Miguel Torres to Chile as the general manager. His mission was to improve the quality of the wines there and prove to the world what Chile was capable of as a wine region. He oversaw the introduction of new and better technology, as well as a modern approach to winemaking generally. Without his energy and talent, Chile would not be producing the types of wines we showcase in the store today.

This is only a small part of his story, though. Joseph is most famous for producing wines in his native Spain. If you peruse our Spanish section, you will find more than a few of his wines. In addition, he’s written several books, opened multiple restaurants, and mentored his daughter in the world of wine. One of our favorite lines in the store comes from her, En Numeros Vermells.

Joseph’s most recent project - the first time he’s labeled his wine’s under his own name - distills his career and philosophy on wine perfectly. For this project, he worked in four places: Montsant, Catalonia, Rioja, and Terra Alta. These wines are clean, fresh, aromatic, and beautiful. Oak influence is nearly non-existent. We will continue to carry them and support his legacy as long as they are available.

So here’s to you, Joseph Puig, and the next chapter of your life! We hope your story, life, and career inspires budding and aspiring winemakers the world over. Salud!