Vinyes Tortuga
– Catalunya, Spain
Dido and Jurriaan, two Amsterdam natives with a passion for winemaking, settled in Rabós, a small town roughly two hours north of Barcelona, in 2018. Their journey into natural winemaking began during an internship with Joan Ramon Escoda, where they embraced the philosophy of transforming pure grapes into wine without additives or filtration.
Their vineyards, perched in the Pyrenees foothills overlooking the Mediterranean Sea at 130 meters above sea level, are farmed with biodynamic principles. Dido & Jurriaan farm 9.5 hectares of vineyards in the Albera natural reserve of Alt-Empordà. Their wines, often inspired by album titles and songs, like Hurdy Gurdy and Mojo Pin 2020, are characterized by their juiciness, lightness, and drinkability, setting them apart from traditional Spanish wines.
Living off the grid among their vines, they rely on solar power and well water. Their wine production takes place in a cooperative building in Rabós as part of their Fruita Analogica project, which focuses on creating additive-free, unfiltered natural wines. Through crowdfunding, they acquired their estate and machinery, making their inaugural vintage in 2018.
The journey to winemaking started when Dido and Jurriaan decided to pursue their dream after establishing careers in Amsterdam. Jurriaan, an engineer, initially built a low-impact travel agency for Southeast Asia. Dido conducted research on the Swartland Independent Producers while pursuing her master’s in Cultural Anthropology in South Africa. The independent winemakers she encountered inspired them to follow their own dream. As a result, they employ intensive vineyard practices, nurturing the soil and enhancing grape quality through cover cropping and sheep grazing.
For the holiday season, consider trying their X-mas Wine, Hurdy Gurdy, a Cabernet Franc wine made using carbonic maceration, offering a blend of juice, spice, earthiness, and liveliness, making it a perfect match for Christmas celebrations.
Cultivation: 9.5 ha own vineyards and négoce
Production: 15,000 bottles/year
Varieties: Chenin Blanc, Malvasia, Macabeu, Garnatxa Blanca, Garnatxa Negra, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Barbera,
Approach: Biodynamic
Certifications: N/A
Sulfites: 0 added sulfites
