Manuel Di Vecchi Staraz, the visionary behind Vinyer de la Ruca, is a Tuscan-born natural winemaker who found his calling in the rugged, sun-drenched hills above Banyuls-sur-Mer, Roussillon, France. A former agriculture professor at the University of Montpellier, Di Vecchi abandoned academia to cultivate 5.5 hectares of old, low-yielding bush vines—primarily Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvèdre—on steep, schist and granite terraces near the Mediterranean. His vineyards, some just a few hundred meters from the sea, are tended entirely by hand or with the aid of his mule, Ullamp, due to the challenging terrain that prohibits mechanization.

Di Vecchi’s approach is uncompromisingly artisanal and biodynamic, guided by the seasons, lunar cycles, and minimal intervention. He uses no chemicals, crushes grapes by foot, destems by hand, and ferments naturally with indigenous yeasts in old barrels or terracotta amphorae, often without added sulfur. His tiny yields—around 2,000 bottles annually—produce wines of profound intensity, minerality, and Mediterranean character, evoking the region’s sun, stones, and garrigue. Cuvées like Silvano, Judas, and Ellittico, bottled in hand-blown glass, reflect his artistic ethos, blending raw power with elegance.

Based at Les 9 Caves, a collaborative cellar in Banyuls where he also produces the vibrant Tutti Frutti Ananas wines with friends, Di Vecchi’s work is a testament to patience and craft. His wines, celebrated for their depth and sense of place, are sought after by natural wine enthusiasts worldwide