Oriol ArtigasChemist & Winemaker
From the laboratory to the Mediterranean coast. Revitalizing ancient Alella vineyards and 100-year-old vines just 15km north of Barcelona.
From chemistry lab to garage winery—the accidental journey of a scientist who fell in love with roots.
Oriol Artigas never planned to become a winemaker. He enrolled in university to study chemistry, following a natural aptitude for science. But during his final semester, a lucrative laboratory job offer required him to abandon his studies. He faced a choice: take the money or finish his degree.
He chose neither. Instead, he traveled to Australia to work a harvest with a friend from Catalonia. That experience changed everything. "That trip was a revelation for me," he recalls. "It wasn't the kind of winery like the one I have today, but there was something about my experience there that touched me."
He returned to study enology, then taught at the local university while starting his own project in 2007. In a garage in Vilassar de Dalt, he made 300 bottles, sold half to neighbors and half to a friend for their wedding, and used the money to buy a tank and rent a vineyard. His first commercial vintage was 2011.
Today, he farms 15 hectares across 12 parcels with a team of three, focusing on old vines, regenerative agriculture, and wines that prioritize texture and conviviality over technical perfection.
Granite, seashells, and schist. Ancient soils shaped by the Mediterranean and the mountains.
Sauló
Granite and sand from the mountains. Clean, pure, and crystalline. This is the primary soil of Alella—acidic granite that gives wines freshness and minerality. Pansa Blanca thrives here.
Les Prats
Chalky soils near the sea, rich with fossilized oysters, cockles, and seashells on granite bedrock. Wines from here have soft, silky textures with soaring salinity—"like when a wave hits your face."
Licorella
Brown schist—volcanic and mineral. South-facing slopes that conduct heat. Produces more concentrated, structured wines with smoky aromas and bold energy. Home to La Bèstia.
Roman heritage, 100-year-old vines, and a conservation mission. One of Spain's smallest DOs with outsized history.
Total Hectares in DO
Alella is one of Spain's smallest appellations, yet dates back to Roman times. Oriol farms 15 of these precious hectares.
Year Old Vines
Some parcels planted over a century ago with 30+ different varieties. Narrow spacing requires all work to be done by hand.
Varieties
Pansa Blanca, Garnatxa, Pansa Negra, Godello, Picapoll, Sumoll, and many unknown indigenous varieties being preserved.
Playful labels, serious wines. From skin-contact Pansa Blanca to ancestral method sparklers.
La Rumbera
The matriarch and flagship. Pansa Blanca from 7 different parcels on granitic Sauló soils. Destemmed and crushed, macerated 3-4 days. Zesty, saline, textured—a Mediterranean classic that showcases the versatility of Xarel·lo.
La Rauxa
Sparkling Pansa Blanca from young vines on granitic sands. Unfined, unfiltered, undisgorged. The wild, unpretentious side of Alella—bubbles that dance with energy and sea breeze.
El Rumbero
100% Garnatxa Negra from 2 vineyards on granitic Sauló. Fermented whole cluster in stainless steel. Light, fresh, and dangerously drinkable—the red counterpart to La Rumbera's energy.
La Bella
"The Beauty." 76-year-old north-facing Pansa Blanca on white granite sand. Destemmed, 14 days skin contact. Elegant, restrained, mineral. Faces La Bèstia across the valley—they look at each other every day.
La Bèstia
"The Beast of the Sea." Centenarian south-facing vines on brown schist (Licorella). 11 days skin contact. More concentrated, smoky, and structured than La Bella. The yang to Bella's yin.
La Prats
A single vineyard with 30 different varieties—some over 100 years old. Harvested every year on September 11th (National Day of Catalunya) with family and friends. The color is natural rosé from the mix of red and white grapes.
La Perla
100% Pansa Blanca from 73-year-old east-facing vines on frantic sand and gneiss. 10 days whole cluster fermentation. Powerful, saline, fresh—an orange wine that honors the coastal plots alongside the Mediterranean.
3 Porcs!
A collaboration with Francesc from Cellar Frisach and Alberto from Cellar Tuets. Three winemakers, three different grapes, changing every year. Bottled only in magnum. Friendship in liquid form.
Sammay
The accessible line—juicy, well-priced, and joyful. Sammay Blanc (Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Parellada) and Sammay Negre (Trepat). Perfect for laughing, smiling, and emptying bottles quickly with friends.
"At the end of the day, I love it when a bottle of wine is emptied quickly — when people are laughing, smiling and happy. I think the texture is a really important part of that. Wine is about sharing. It's not really about drinking, but rather the conversations."