Dido & Jurriaan

A few years ago, things were very different. Jurriaan was the owner of a low-impact travel company to Southeast Asia, and Dido was on a research trip to Swartland for her Masters in Cultural Anthropology. But actually their joint master plan was to have their own winery. They then brought this plan forward without further ado: The pair traveled the world, discovered their love of natural wine and put down roots in the north of Catalonia. The Vinyes Tortuga wines taste exactly as the two of them dreamed: exciting, deep and like home. Master plan: check!

Catalonia, Spain

Far from the discussion of becoming a separate state, Catalonia is home to an incredibly diverse (and very independent 😉) wine world. On the Mediterranean coast, the grapes ripen in a warm, Mediterranean climate. In the hills to the north, it is cooler, a fresh wind blows there and the climate is more subalpine. What does this mean for Catalonia's winemakers? An incredible range of wines can be produced here. Heavy red wines meet elegant Cavas and everything in between. Jurriaan and Dido are in the very north of the region, on the French border. The wine region there on the Costa Brava is called "Alt-Empordà". It used to have rather large production facilities of mediocre rosé, but today you'll find a beautiful variety of styles, often as cuvees, in this little corner in the middle of the Pyrenees. What a beautiful home for the Vinyes Tortuga wines!