A trained geologist who returned to a family farm dating back to 1779, Jordi Llorens has become one of the essential names in Catalan natural wine, working with a purity that allows not even a gram of added sulfur.
Backstory
Llorens is an eighth-generation farmer whose family has cultivated vines, almonds, olives and livestock since 1779. After training as a geologist, he returned to his roots, moving into winemaking in 2008 and releasing his first natural wines from the 2012 vintage.
The Region
His estate is centered on Blancafort, in the Conca de Barbera of Catalonia, Spain. This high, limestone-rich country, with vineyards spread across elevations from roughly 400 to 650 meters, gives his wines freshness and tension.
Vineyards and Farming
Llorens manages around 15 to 16 hectares of vines across six different sites, all on limestone soils. Plantings are mainly the native Parellada and Macabeu, supplemented by some Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. He practices biodynamics in both vineyard and cellar.
Winemaking
His cellar work follows a strict zero-additive policy, with not even a gram of sulfur added. Vinification is minimal-intervention, including ferments that run some six months in earthenware jars buried in his cellar.
The Wines
Total production is around 12,000 bottles a year, built on the native white grapes of the Conca de Barbera and a handful of reds, all made in the same uncompromising, additive-free style.
