Émilie Mutombo
Bonastre, Penedès, Spain
Émilie Mutombo, from Congolese descent and born and raised in Brussels, used to work in the event sector in Belgium’s capital city. However, seized by the upcoming natural wine scene and the many winebars in the city she decided to turn her life around. She went to study Oenology in France and gained experience in the winemaking process at Domaine Chêne Bleu in Gigondas. Her most influential encounter happened a little later at a wine fair in Angers. Here she met Massimo and Antonella from Partida Creus. While tasting their wines she became captivated by them. After realising she got along well with the Italian couple she decided to move to Bonastre to work with them. There she became friends with them and gradually gained more influence in the winemaking process. In 2017, Tom Colman, an Australian from Domaine Jauma who was working at Partida Creus as well, got her to make a wine of her own. A little later her first wine was born: E.T., Émilie Tom.
Émilie continued like this for a while, making a few wines of her own using Partida Creus’ grapes and equipment. Eventually, in 2020, she found her own place, still in Bonastre, almost around the corner from Massimo and Antonella, whom she is still very close to. She started to vinify small quantities of wine from her 2 hectares of 50 to 70 year old vines of Parellada, Sumoll and Xarello. Alongside her own production she also buys some grapes from local, organic, farmers. Since then Émilie also planted some Monastrell and Grenache. Her production stays limited, around 5000 to 8000 litres a year as little rainfall strongly influences her yields.
In the cellar Émilie’s delicate touch is most noticeable. While strongly influenced by Partida Creus, she definitely managed to develop her own style. She is a master of maceration, using techniques like normal maceration, carbonic maceration and flotation / infusion (where whole clusters are suspended in direct pressed juice) to make wines that correspond to her vision: wines she would want to drink herself. She uses old, oak vessels as well as stainless steel vats, bottles by hand and adds no sulphites. The abstract yet recognisable labels are made by Frédéric Mutombo, her brother. The wines are strongly fruit-forward and at the same time complex, gastronomic and round. Definitely a producer to keep an eye on!
Featured products
