Dr. Xavier Estivill was our first stop on what would be a single, tightly packed day in Priorat. In hindsight, there was no better place to begin.
Dr. Xavier Estivill.
We met him in one of his vineyards above Cornudella de Montsant, where he quickly set the tone, walking us through the site’s soils, elevation, and exposure in a way that brought immediate clarity to the landscape. It was a perspective that stayed with us, shaping how we understood everything that followed.
That introduction unfolded into a deeper discussion of the region’s history and geology, delivered with a precision that reflects his scientific background. It continued later at his winery, Celler Gritelles, where tasting through his wines gave concrete form to what he had outlined in the vineyard.
Estivill’s path to wine is anything but conventional.
Gritelles vineyard in Cornudella de Montsant.
Before returning to Montsant, he built an international career in molecular genetics, working at the forefront of human genome research and contributing to studies on rare diseases and cancer. The precision and curiosity required in that field now shape how he thinks about vineyards, fermentation, and the unseen life that influences both.
Cornudella, however, is not new territory. His family has long-standing ties to the area, and what is now Celler Gritelles began modestly, with family-owned vineyards whose fruit was historically sold to a cooperative. Over time, that changed. What started as a small, personal project evolved into a full commitment, with Estivill eventually returning to focus on the land directly.
That dual perspective as both scientist and grower informs everything he does. While many producers in the region speak about soils and exposure, Estivill extends the conversation further, into the microbiology of the vineyard.
The distinct slate soil of the region.
Native yeasts, he explained, are not incidental; they are central to how his wines develop. Rather than relying on cultured strains, he allows fermentations to proceed with the yeasts naturally present on the grapes, accepting variability in exchange for a closer reflection of each site.
He belongs to a generation of producers working in the wake of Priorat’s modern revival. While not part of the original wave that reignited the region in the 1990s, his work reflects its enduring priorities: low yields, site expression, and a willingness to question established practices.
At Celler Gritelles, located within the Montsant appellation that encircles Priorat DOQ, he operates on a scale that underscores just how small and deliberate production remains here.
“This is one of the keys of the type of wine we make here,” he explained. “The production is very low. In all of Priorat, we produce less than 15 million bottles of wine, which is nothing compared to a large winery in Penedès or Rioja.”
A map of Montsant.
It’s a comparison that immediately frames the wines. Low yields here are not imposed; they are the result of steep terrain, thin soils, and vines that must root deeply to survive. “This is what makes the wine very highly concentrated,” Estivill said.
The vineyard where we stood lies just beyond the formal boundary of Priorat DOQ, a mere kilometre separating Montsant from its more famous neighbor. Yet the distinctions, Estivill noted, are not always obvious on the surface.
“In this part of the Priorat, it’s better because we are at a higher altitude,” he said. “Also, we have higher latitude, which means ripening happens much later compared to the south.”
That difference plays out over the growing season. Across less than 25 kilometers, the gap in ripening between the northern and southern zones can stretch to 4 to 5 weeks.
Young vines have a bigger struggle in light of recent drought conditions.
If geography sets the framework, climate is increasingly shifting the timeline. Like many growers in the region, Estivill has seen harvest dates move steadily earlier. “We normally harvest in late September,” he said. “But in recent years it’s been moving up. Last year we started at the end of August, which is unusual. In the past, harvest started in mid-October.”
Bud break is advancing as well, compressing the growing cycle and raising questions about how to maintain balance in wines already known for their structure. This past season offered a slight variation.
“This year it has been a little different,” he noted. “We had a quite nice late spring…it was quite cold, so we did the pruning a little bit later, and spring started later. Now the blooming is starting in the first week of April.”
Back at the winery, his approach in the cellar mirrors the same measured mindset. Intervention is kept to a minimum, beginning with a notable omission. “When the grapes come to the winery, we are not using sulfites,” he said.
For white wines, the process includes a short period of skin contact before pressing. “We put the grapes into the containers for around three days,” he explained. “Then they are pressed, and fermentation happens without skin contact.” The result is a balance of texture and freshness, without pushing too far in either direction.
More distinctive is the pace of fermentation. In contrast to the industry norm, where speed is often prioritized, Estivill allows fermentations to unfold slowly. “In general, fermentation happens in 10 days to two weeks maximum, and winemakers are very happy to finish it as soon as possible,” he said. “They close the container, add sulfites, and then they’re happy. We don’t do that.”
Instead, fermentation is extended at low temperatures for as long as six weeks.
Xavier explaining white wine production at Gritelles.
“We want to let the yeast extract all the flavours and savours from the grapes,” he said. “This translates into wines that have more flavour. Otherwise, you lose a lot of things for the final wine.”
Estivill is also a natural storyteller, and in the vineyard his narrative stretched well beyond Montsant and Priorat. “Wine has been made in this area for thousands of years,” he said, tracing viticulture back to the Phoenicians and later the Romans, who expanded production and trade.
That history includes collapse as well as growth. He spoke of the devastation of phylloxera in the late 19th century, when the region’s population fell dramatically and vineyards were abandoned. Recovery came slowly, through grafting and, much later, through the efforts that would eventually restore Priorat’s reputation.
Standing in the vineyard, however, what feels most immediate is not the past, but the continuity between then and now. The same constraints remain but the approach has changed.
His wines reflect that perspective showing the concentration and structure typical of the region, but with a restraint that speaks to both site and method. As our tasting notes below reveal, they’re also undeniably delicious.
In a region better known for scale and intensity, Estivill leans in a different direction. His wines feel more considered, shaped by close attention in the vineyard and a willingness to let less obvious influences such as timing and balance, define the final expression.
Tasting Notes
2024 Vedrenyes Macabeu
2024 Gritelles Macebo Vedrenyes
A lovely way to start our tasting with a refreshing and vibrant white. We get pear and other orchard fruits on a medium body with medium acidity. The wine shows great balance contributing to a lovely mouthfeel. Beneath the fruit is an attractive earthy quality; a mixture of mineral and dried herb flavours that speak to the dry, elevated vineyard where it came from. Good length on the finish. Very Good+
2022 Gritelles Siurana Brisat
Also made from the Macebo but in the currently fashionable skin contact or “Orange Wine” method. The juices are left with the skins during fermentation for a period of 28 days. This extracts additional flavour and structure from those skins as well as a bit of colour. This dials up the intensity and makes for an intriguing wine that would pair well with fish, chicken, or pork. The orchard fruits shine through with additional intensity. Mineral, dried herbs and a hint of almond add to the complexity of this delicious wine. Brisat is Catalan for pomace and is their term for skin contact wines. Excellent
2022 Gritelles Manou.
2022 Gritelles Manou
This is a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Carignan, the classic blend from Priorat. Flavours of cherry and red fruits are presented on a frame that has medium body and medium- tannin. Approachable and fruity, this wine has plenty to find interesting within it and is very quaffable. Very Good+
2021 Gritelles Siurana Negre
Dark red with high acid and medium+ tannin. This wine will surely further develop and have a long life in the cellar. There is enough dark cherry and plum fruit notes to match that structure resulting in good balance and structured yet smooth mouthfeel. Complex. Excellent
2019 Gritelles Argentera Granaxta L’essencia.
2019 Gritelles Argentera Granaxta L’essencia
This is a beautiful 100% Grenache that was the wine of the tasting. A classic iron fist in a velvet glove. It had power but just as much finesse. This is very complex wine showing cherry, raspberry and plum on the attack and then all sorts of dried herbs and spices as the wine lingered on our palates. The texture on this wine is beautiful; it has a warm, robe-like mouthfeel as it coats your palate, but the smooth tannins give it structure and keep things serious. Each time we retuned to our glasses we seem to pick up something new. Absolutely delicious! Excellent+
*Note: All of these wines showed excellent value at this quality level.
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