Xavier Gramona (1959-2023)
Xavier Gramona was among the rare individuals one feels privileged to have met and spent time with. He was knowledgeable and curious, a charming conversationalist, and an effective educator. He was someone you looked forward to visiting while knowing you’d regret your parting. As President of Gramona and 5th generation representative of his family, Xavier had a restless mind and boundless creativity. He was revolutionary by inspiration but a conciliator by temperament. Above all, Xavier was an enthusiastic communicator about his family’s work, an advocate for a holistic view of sustainability, and a leading voice for the overdue recognition that Spain’s finest sparkling wines could compete with the elite wines of Champagne or anywhere else in the world for that matter. So, while we mourn his passing, we can only marvel at his remarkable achievements.
Leo Gramona, Xavier’s son, once remarked that his father instilled in him the principle that each generation of the family must contribute to the greater understanding of their history. To take inspiration from the insights and hard work that are hallmarks of the Gramona name and add something meaningful to that legacy by benefiting the greater community of winemakers, grape growers, and wine drinkers at home in Catalunya and around the world.
This is the most meaningful tribute that can be made, a dedication to leaving the world in a better and more knowledgeable place than how you found it and encouraging those who come after you to do the same.
by Steven Spanbauer