Producers

Nuria Renom Sant Marti del Sarroca, Penedès, Spain Nuria Renom moved from Argentina to Spain when she was just a child. It was an exchange during her studies that lead her to Pisa and there she fell in love with wine. When she came back to Barcelona, she had a new dream, that of becoming a winemaker. She went on to study to become a sommelier and later traveled the world in order to partake in harvests and gain experiences which she could later pour into her own wines. In 2013 she helped to found the legendary Bar Brutal in Barcelona as the head sommelier. A year later, she was able to rent a small vineyard in the Garret mountains, starting to realise her dream. After long services she would hurry back home in order to tend to the wines. In 2021 Nuria and her partner Arola finally found a suited and permanent place for their project Les Cantarelles. They bought an old farmhouse, Can Barceló, in Sant Marti del Sarroca, surrounded by 16 hectares of vineyards. They work about 8 hectares of those vineyards, containing mostly Parellada. Can Barceló is protected from the moderate Mediterranean climate by hills and forests. Thus it can be quite cool in the vineyards. The grapes ripen slower and the wines seldomly exceed 12% alcohol. All Nuria’s work in the vineyards is organic, some biodynamic. In addition to her own grapes, Nuria also works with négoce grapes from some of her favourite parcels from friends Ton Rimbau and Toni Carbo. In the cellar Nuria follows a natural approach. Spontaneous fermentation, no sulphites and bottling without fining or filtering. Nuria makes light and fruit focused wines, the free line that are great as a by the glass option. Next to that she makes more gastronomic wines in the higher price range, that are very well received and very well made.

Josep Tort & Maria Barrena Penedès, Spain In the Penedès region, in Spanish Catalunya and mostly known for its cava production, Maria Barrena and Josep Tort took over Josep’s family vineyard in 2010. Near the sea and at about 450 metres of altitude these vines were planted between 1953 and 1976 in soils of lime and clay. Josep is the third generation of winemakers in his family and he is on a mission to restore his family vineyards. By working organically, ecologically and regeneratively the couple achieves to make pure and expressive wines from mostly local grape varieties such as Xarello, Macabeu and Parellada. The grapes are harvested manually and after pressing the fermentation is let to happen naturally, with natural yeasts, in stainless steal tanks. The wines are then bottled without, or with absolutely minimal amounts of sulphites. The old, deep-rooted vines give concentration and complexity, which is noticeable in the wines. The soil adds minerality. Josep and Maria make fresh, easy and aromatic wines that are full of life. Perfect for the novice natural wine drinker!

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!

Ismael Gozalo Nieva Segovia, Spain

Ton Rimbau Penedès, Spain

Massimo Marchiori & Antonella Gerona Bonastre, Penedes, Spain Massimo and Antonella make splendid wines in the town of Bonastre in the Penedes region of Spain. The Italian couple, both architects and originally from the north of Italy, left their jobs and home to make wine in a natural way in the area around Barcelona. They moved to the small town of Bonastre, where they bought an old building that they transformed into a cellar made of recycled materials. Massimo sought out old and abandoned vineyards with the intention to give them a new life. Hence the couple primarily uses indigenous grape varieties as Sumoll, Garrut, and Xarel.lo as well as varieties as Cartoixa Vermell that were disqualified or not accepted at all by the DO due to a lack of colour. Pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals do not have a place in their vineyards, all the grapes are organically farmed. Similarly, they use the same natural method in the cellar, giving 100% pure wines. No sulphites, no filtering and no interventions. Wherever Partida Creus is there is a crowd, not only because of the charm of Antonella and the knowledge of Massimo, but also because their wines are just extremely good. Happy and energetic and super well made. Do not forget their fantastic vermouth: MUZ!