Revival
At Sauvella, we’re rekindling a centuries-old winemaking heritage that temporarily faded away in the 1960s. Nestled amidst the mountains, our vineyard is a testament to the revival of tradition, seamlessly blending the ancient with the contemporary.
Here, we cultivate a mix of indigenous and well-known grape varieties perfectly suited to our mountainous terroir. Thriving in the unique soil of reddish marls and sandstones, our grapes capture the essence of the past, offering a taste of heritage with a modern twist. Join us at Sauvella as we bring back the charm of traditional winemaking in a setting that reflects both history and the beauty of the present.
Care and Quality
At Sauvella, the meticulous care bestowed upon our vineyards is a testament to our commitment to both excellence and the environment. With an unwavering passion, we cultivate our grapes, selecting only the finest to craft truly remarkable natural wines that embody both character and quality.
Renowned for their complexity, smoothness, and intense color, our wines have earned accolades, with critics describing them as ‘spectacular’ and ‘excellent,’ consistently ranking among the finest in Spain. The Sauvella selection features an elegant white, a refreshing rosé, and red wines that range from youthful expressions to those gracefully aged in oak barrels. In particularly favorable vintages, we indulge our grapes to sun-dry, resulting in a remarkably fruity dessert wine—a testament to the artistry and versatility that defines the Sauvella winemaking experience.
Where Geology Defines Elegance
At Sauvella, the symphony of our wines is composed by the very rocks beneath our vineyards. In concert with climate and our meticulous cultivation practices, geology emerges as the silent maestro, intricately weaving the narrative of quality blends. As you stroll through our vineyards, marvel at the ancient imprints of dinosaurs, bearing witness to the geological tapestry that shapes the outcome of each bottle. Immerse yourself in the essence of our journey, “De la Roca a la Copa,” where you’ll discover the profound connection between the earth’s formations and the exquisite flavours that grace your glass—a sensorial exploration, capped off by the pleasure of savouring a selection of our exceptional wines. It’s a celebration of geological finesse and winemaking artistry, harmonising in every sip.
Note: If you are interested in learning more about our geological tour, “De la Roca a la Copa,” please explore further details on our website.
Earthly Reverence in Viniculture
At Sauvella, our commitment to exceptional winemaking is inseparable from our profound respect for the earth and the environment. With meticulous care, we cultivate our grapes as a testament to our dedication to sustainability. Hand-picked from our organic vineyards, situated at elevations surpassing 500 meters, each grape embodies the purity of its altitude and the richness of the earth it calls home. Our approach to winemaking is a harmonious dance with nature, ensuring that every bottle reflects not just the flavour of the grape but the essence of a respectful and sustainable relationship with the land.
Regenerative Viticulture
At Sauvella, our commitment to regenerative viticulture extends beyond tradition, creating a sanctuary where sustainability and nature converge. Instead of annual earth disruption, we embrace natural vegetation to form protective cover between and beneath our vines. Occasionally introducing organic mulch further enhances soil health, minimizing erosion, serving as a natural fertilizer, and improving nutrient availability and water retention. This thoughtful approach fosters a holistic ecosystem, harmonizing cultivated vines with wild plants, livestock, beneficial insects, predators, and a thriving microbial life. Sauvella transcends the role of a mere vineyard, emerging as a haven where the legacy of our wines is forever entwined with the well-being of the land.
A Unique Mix of Grape Varieties
Rooted in the centuries-old winemaking tradition of Pallars, Sauvella breathes new life into its heritage lost in the 1960s. Embracing a modern revival, we discovered that renowned grapes such as Syrah, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon not only endure but thrive in our extreme mountain climate amid interbedded reddish marls and sandstones. Venturing into experimentation, we introduced Italian Nebbiolo and Primitivo, both of which have seamlessly adapted. Our vineyards also boast Spanish varieties like Tempranillo and Macabeo, alongside the meticulous recovery of indigenous treasures like Brocada and Sumoll. Of particular note is the Sumoll—a rare and incredibly fruity variety, with only a few hectares remaining globally. This unique amalgamation of grape varieties provides Sauvella the canvas to craft character-rich wines, exploring a symphony of distinct flavours that redefine the essence of our winemaking.
Our sheep
At Sauvella, we enlist the assistance of a small flock of Southdown sheep to graze our vineyard, embodying a symbiotic relationship between nature and viticulture. These woolly companions play a crucial role in maintaining the health of our vineyard—grazing on the cover crop to ideal heights while simultaneously fertilising the soil. This harmonious integration of sheep into our vineyard management not only ensures the vitality of our land but also reflects our commitment to sustainable practices, creating a balanced ecosystem where each element contributes to the flourishing health of the vines.
Winemaking
Winemaking at Sauvella is a meticulous journey that commences in the vineyard, underscoring the belief that great wines are born from exceptional grapes. With unwavering dedication and meticulous attention to detail, we tend to the vines and soil throughout the year, nurturing a harmonious relationship that defines the quality of our produce. It is only when the grapes reach the pinnacle of ripeness, a precise moment that varies for each grape variety, that we embark on the pivotal stage of harvest. This critical window spans just a few days, marking the beginning of the transformation from vineyard bounty to the distinguished wines crafted within the hallowed halls of the Sauvella winery.
Hand-Picked
At Sauvella, our commitment to quality begins with handpicking every grape, allowing for a meticulous selection in the vineyard. Collected in small, ten-kilogram crates to prevent bruising, the grapes are transported to the winery, where they undergo a thorough assessment for weight and overall quality. In a second selection, only the finest bunches are chosen, and after careful de-stemming and crushing, the resulting grape paste is placed in separate stainless steel tanks, maintaining distinct grape varieties for precise quality objectives.
During tank filling, a strategic cooling process, known as cold maceration, is employed for about ten days, ensuring optimal aroma extraction and minimizing harsh components, resulting in a wine with a heightened expression of fruit. Following this, the must undergoes fermentation initiated by the native yeast on the grapes, with vigilant temperature management and regular pump-overs and cap punch-downs for optimal flavor extraction. At this stage, decisions are made on which batches will become young wines and which will age in oak barrels, with the latter benefiting from extended skin contact for a more refined development.
Young wines
Once fermentation is complete and stability achieved through meticulous decantation, certain wines at Sauvella are poised for blending and bottling. These vibrant creations, including white, rosé, and red varieties, are meticulously crafted to be enjoyed in their youth. Embracing a philosophy of freshness and immediacy, these wines capture the essence of the grape varieties and showcase their dynamic character, inviting enthusiasts to savour the bright and lively notes that define this delightful stage in their evolution.
Aged wines
Wines at Sauvella that exhibit superior characteristics, meeting our stringent quality standards, undergo a distinctive treatment. Post-fermentation, these select wines are carefully transferred to oak barrels—predominantly of French origin, with a touch of American oak for a nuanced complexity. Ensuring a harmonious selection of coopers, both new and very new barrels are employed, fostering the potential for rich and intricate wines.
This aging process unfolds over approximately twelve months, during which the wines are vigilantly monitored, and lees are stirred to enhance flavor development. Maintaining the distinctiveness of each grape variety, wines continue to age in separate barrels until meticulous trials determine the ideal blends. Only after these precise blends are established do we proceed to bottling, initiating another crucial phase of aging. This slow maturation spans several years, culminating in wines that are released for enjoyment only when they have reached a peak of refinement and complexity.
The Wine Shop & Tasting Area
Nestled in the heart of Orcau, discover our wine shop ensconced within a medieval cellar, a historic space where farmers once crafted wines for centuries. This atmospheric setting provides the perfect backdrop for an immersive wine-tasting experience. Step into our welcoming space, where the echoes of the past harmonise with the contemporary allure of Sauvella wines.
Indulge in the sensory journey on our charming terrace beneath a pergola adorned with Brocada grapes. Here, amid the serene ambience, we delight in pouring glasses for you to savour the essence of Sauvella. Whether you’re a curious tourist or a devoted wine enthusiast, we warmly welcome small groups for tastings. For those seeking a deeper connection with our winemaking process, arrangements can be made for a visit to our winery, offering an insider’s perspective. Additionally, our special tours, intertwined with geological themes, provide a unique and informative exploration of the fascinating link between terroir and wine.
Unveiling Nature’s Essence: Sauvella’s Natural Wines
At Sauvella, our commitment to crafting exceptional wines extends to embracing the essence of nature itself. Our wines proudly bear the badge of being entirely natural. A distinction that begins with cultivating 100% organic grapes in our certified vineyards. Minimal intervention is our mantra, allowing the innate yeasts present on the grapes to orchestrate the fermentation process, shaping the unique character of each varietal.
A testament to our dedication to purity, our wines undergo a natural malolactic fermentation, where the harsh acids gracefully transform into softer counterparts, guided solely by the naturally occurring bacteria within the wine. In our unwavering pursuit of authenticity, we refrain from filtering our wines, allowing flavours to evolve and mature gracefully within the bottle.
Innovative techniques, such as cold extraction of colours and aromas prior to fermentation, contribute to the development of finer, more palate-friendly tannins.
With a firm commitment to preserving taste integrity, we employ no fining agents, ensuring that valuable taste compounds remain intact. The lees, enriched with complexity, linger with the wine for as long as possible, undergoing only basic sediment separation through meticulous decantation at the tank or barrel level. Our winemaking philosophy, rooted in respect for nature, results in wines that are not just harmonious but also of an exceptionally high quality, capturing the very essence of the terroir and the grape.
Jeroen Nagtegaal
Founder of Sauvella, enologist, grape grower, geologist
Lia Tchou
(†2023) Cofounder, host
Peter Nagtegaal
Cofounder, host, geologist
Elzeline van der Hoek
Graphic designer
Stela Angelova
Assistant vineyards & winery
Sauvella collaborates with a handful of initiatives that match our company’s philosophy.
Ruta del Vi de Lleida
Go on a wine route through the province of Lleida. “A journey of unique experiences discovering the best our region has to offer. A pleasure for the senses: 43 wineries, 7 landscapes and mosaics of colours, each completely different from the next, with vines planted at altitudes from 200 metres up to more than 1000 in the Pyrenees, resulting in truly amazing wines thanks to the huge temperature range. More than seventy companies, including restaurants, hotels, and tourism activity firms committed to astounding you and making your time with us an experience to talk about and remember.”
The Lleida Wine Route is an excellent way to experience the wineries, restaurants and nature of the province Lleida with all your senses.
More information: Ruta del Vi de Lleida (English, Spanish and Catalan)
Al Teu Gust
Al Teu Gust, To Your Taste, promotes local produce and products from the Pallars Jussà region: wines but also cheeses, honey, olive oil and more.
The Pallars Jussà, a wide valley in the southern Pyrenees where the rivers Noguera Pallaresa and Flamisell flow (in the Lleida province), has a long history in viticulture, agriculture, livestock and sheep herding.
Typical local products include goat cheese and sausages like xolís and secallona, both cured pork, and girella, with lamb, rice, garlic and parsley. Coca de recapte is a savoury flatbread with vegetables, sardines or butifarra, a spiced sausage. There are local beers, liqueurs, rosemary honey, jams and cookies too.
The history of wine is an interesting one. Local viticulture dates back centuries, perhaps even to the Romans and by the beginning of the twentieth century the Pallars Jussà boasted over 8.600 hectares of vineyards. Then, the phylloxera bug devastated most vineyards in Europe including in the Pallars region. However, during the last ten to twenty years, viticulture and quality winemaking have made a formidable and delicious comeback.
So, on a visit to the Pallars Jussà you can enjoy a large variety of food and wine and get to know the best of the land and its people.
More information: Al Teu Gust (currently only available in Catalan)
Eureka
At Sauvella we are very appreciative of our region’s exceptional geological history and we know dinosaurs walked over our vineyards, as their footprints have been professionally identified.
Eureka is a local company that offers geotouristic activities to get to know the Pallars Jussà region through geology and paleontology offering a unique and largely unknown vision of its nature and landscape.
Sauvella and Eureka have joined forces to offer you the best of both worlds in one day. Experience the landscape, learn about the geology and its relationship to our wines and, of course, get to sample those wines yourself. This is the tour De la Roca a la Copa, From the Rock to the Wine Glass. Book your tour at this website.
Another experience we offer, Toscavi, focuses on what tosca, a specific type of rock from the Pallars, has to do with local winemaking. Book Toscavi at this website.
Geopark Orígens
Sauvella is proud to be collaborating with the recently established geopark Orígens. Geoparks are privileged areas to protect geological heritage sustainably. The Orígens park displays geology of international significance, in a register of rocks extending over the last 550 million years.
In this area our winery plays an important part in promoting this rich heritage in our tours and also offering local gastronomy.
For more information: Geoparc Origens
Àpat Pallars Jussa
Association to promote local gastronomy.
Viu Jussà
Association to promote local tourism.
Pyrenees Pass
Promotion of tourism throughout the whole Pyrenean mountain range.
Epicentre
Our local tourist office.
Museu d’Isona
Local museum with an important collection of fossil dinosaur remains.