Família Nin-Ortiz
| Vigneron | Ester Nin & Carles Ortiz |
| Location | Porrera (Catalonia) |
| Size of Domaine | 12.5ha in Priorat + 2ha in Penedès |
| Terroir | Mediterranean climate, sea breeze influence. Mountainous topography, patchwork of different llicorellas (schists). Steep 'costers' with vines following the incline of the slopes, some terraced vineyards, varied exposure from north to south. 300-650m altitude. |
| Viticulture | Certified organic (CCPAE) and biodynamic (Biodyvin). |
| View Família Nin-Ortiz wines ↓ |
Familia Nin-Ortiz is one of Priorat’s pioneers of biodynamic farming, forged through the partnership of Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz. Together, they have redefined what’s possible in the appellation, combining a deep respect for traditional viticulture and meticulous winemaking. Rowing against the tide, they were the first to search for freshness and nuance in the wines of Priorat in the early 2000s – as opposed to the ubiquitous concentration, extraction, and new oak ageing of the era (think 'Parkerisation').
Ester Nin is originally from Penedès, the other viticulture hot spot of Cataluña north of Tarragona (a good hour drive away from Priorat). She arrived in Priorat in 2000 and quickly made her mark – first working at Mas Martinet, then assuming the role of viticulturist for Daphne Glorian at Clos I Terrasses where she led the domaine’s conversion to biodynamics. Carles Ortiz took a different path: native of Barcelona, he left the city behind in 1998 to purchase 18ha of mountainous land outside Porrera known as Finca Les Planetes. By 2000, he had converted the finca to organic farming and the young couple met when Clos I Terrasses began buying grapes from Carles.
Sharing values around farming and wine, their connection deepened and eventually led to the founding of Família Nin-Ortiz – the first official vintage in Priorat was 2008. From 2016, the couple added two wines from Penedès in the range; they are made from vineyards around Pla del Manlleu (Ester’s hometown) at high altitude on limestone-dominated soils (in contrast to the schist soils of Priorat). In 2019, the family completed the construction of a state-of-the-art winery in Finca Les Planetes – self-sufficient, it was designed to blend into its natural surroundings and allows work by gravity.
The state-of-the-art winery in Finca Les Planetes From the start, Família Nin-Ortiz has maintained a strong focus on biodiversity and vineyard health, deeply rooted in biodynamic principles. Certified organic since 2000 and active members of Nicolas Joly’s 'La Renaissance des Appellations', they have dedicated themselves to traditional viticulture with a particular interest in native grape varieties. Ester and Carles have extensively grafted and replanted different strains (natural mutations) of garnacha and cariñena – including massal selections of the garnacha peluda, with its 'hairy' (peluda) leaf underside, and the white cariñena blanca; these indigenous varieties are slower to ripen (the peluda is sometimes harvested in October!), have higher acidity and lower alcohol making them increasingly valuable as climate warms.
Remarkably, Familia Nin-Ortiz also reintroduced mule ploughing to the steep 'costers' of Porrera, an arduous and labour-intensive method not seen in the village since the 1960s. It significantly improves soil structure and allows for precise incorporation of compost (increasing humus levels into the poor metamorphic soils of Priorat). This is crucial for boosting fertility and moisture retention in a region where the increasingly arid conditions pose challenges – rainfall during the growing season rarely exceeds 200mm.
The family’s profound connection with nature is evident through the love and care of animals and their integration in everyday farming – they comment, "the three mules and other animals (dogs, cats, hens, rabbits, cows, and sheep) are not just working tools, they are members of our team and family; their daily presence reminds us of the importance of being in harmony with our environment."
Harvest is carried out at dawn, entirely by hand, in small 12kg boxes; timed precisely according to pH and acidity levels rather than sugar and alcohol – it typically occurs from pH 3.2 for red grapes (depending on the type of terroir and varieties), and between pH 2.9 and 3.1 for whites. Ester and Carles explain, "acidity can drop dramatically in just a few days of heat. Being precise allows us to bring in healthy grapes with ripeness and good acidity, around 4.5g/l ideally, ensuring both early drinkability and age-worthiness."
Upon arrival at the winery in Finca Planetes, grapes are chilled in a cold chamber at -4°C. Every single grape is then manually inspected to remove any damaged, or raisin-like berries (only pristine fruit is kept) — this process is once again labour-intensive (and costly), requiring up to 20 people in the cellar over several weeks! Eventually the yields are extremely low and fluctuate between 6 to 12hh depending on the plot.
Fermentations are entirely spontaneous, with no additives or oenological tricks. "Cleanliness is an obsession at Nin-Ortiz, and precision is paramount!", they comment. Regular analysis and monitoring of the must and wine ensure a slow and homogenous fermentation. Small doses of SO2 are only added post-malolactic fermentation and pre-bottling (total SO2 ranges from 45 to 60mg/l for both colours). Red wines are fermented with varying amounts of whole bunches, based on vintage, plot, and varieties – cariñena is of particular interest since its ripe stems enhance freshness and phenolic structure. Maceration typically lasts three to four weeks with no (or minimal) punch-down. White grapes are pressed directly although 20% might undergo skin contact for a few days. White and red wines ferment and age in a mix of older barrels (225 to 600ltr), foudres of different sizes (1,200 to 3,200ltr), concrete vats, and Spanish tinajas – aromatically neutral vessels are favoured to preserve purity and finesse.
Família Nin-Ortiz embodies the Catalan essence of Priorat, producing Mediterranean wines of character and vitality. Each bottle reflects the family’s unwavering passion as well as the rugged land of one of Spain’s most distinctive terroirs. Today, Nin-Ortiz crafts eight cuvées in Priorat and two in Penedès, with quality rising year after year. Their top wines are now highly sought after, earning consistent acclaim: Luis Gutiérrez of Robert Parker has awarded a few of them the elusive 100 points, a recognition that comes as no surprise to those who follow their work.
N.B. In Priorat, much of the mystique comes from its metamorphic soil. Locals call it 'llicorella', translated as slate from Catalan, though geologically it is schist: brittle, mica-flecked rocks that fracture into thin shards. The confusion is understandable – llicorella does looks slaty. In geological terms, slate is the earlier stage of metamorphosis, fine-grained and uniform, while schist represents a longer, deeper transformation, with visible mica and quartz flakes that glint in the sun. Both derive from shale, a sedimentary rock compacted over millions of years before being altered by heat and pressure into metamorphic form. Priorat’s vineyards sit on a patchwork of different schists (llicorellas), ranging from dark and quartz-veined to red and iron-stained; many variations emerge throughout the appellation, each shaping vine growth and ultimately the wines’ profile.
Mule ploughing on the steep 'costers' of Porrera 
Moody Mas d'En Caçador Família Nin-Ortiz Wines
PRIORAT 2021
Planetes Classic
45% Garnacha, 44% Cariñena Negra, 11% Garnacha Peluda
45% Garnacha, 44% Cariñena Negra, 11% Garnacha Peluda (13.5% alc.)
Finca Les Planetes spans 18ha of rugged terrain around 450m altitude, with 6.5ha of vines planted across hills with varied slopes and exposures (from north to south). The garnacha and garnacha peluda were planted on terraces (1999), while the cariñena, planted in 2008, follows the natural incline of the slope – as per the ancestral local tradition (in contrast to terraced vineyards). For Ester and Carles, this cuvée reflects years of research and development on the wines of Priorat. From planting each parcel with the right blend of varieties to selecting the best ageing vessels, it took them eleven vintages with many adjustments to arrive at what they believe is the 'classic' Priorat style. The blend of garnacha, garnacha peluda, and whole-bunch cariñena ferments and ages 18 months in 3,200ltr foudres, exclusively, to avoid oak influence. The result is consistently fine and elegant, with floral and spicy fruit notes, Mediterranean herbs, and a savoury cured-meat edge coming from the ferruginous (iron-rich) llicorella at Finca Les Planetes. For drinking now to 2028.
PRIORAT 2022
Varietats Antigues
100% Cariñena Blanca
100% Cariñena Blanca (13% alc.)
Ester and Carles accidentally encountered the ancient variety cariñena blanca (carignan blanc) after propagating massal selections in Finca Les Planetes: the cuttings came from five different 100yo+ cariñena vines in Mas d’En Caçador, one turned out to be the rare mutation found around the Mediterranean. Following a laboratory analysis that confirmed its unique profile – naturally low in alcohol, with low pH and outstanding acidity – they got excited at the prospect of reviving a resilient (and characterful) grape that offers hope in an era of climate change. In 2011, they re-grafted a plot of pointless 1999 cabernet sauvignon with cariñena blanca and planted more across the finca, totalling 1.4ha nowadays. Over time, this cuvée has evolved from an experiment into a defining wine for the appellation – the path to official recognition was long, but in 2024 the Priorat DO finally admitted the variety, placing Nin-Ortiz at the forefront of its revival. The wine ferments and ages nine months in a mix of older barrels and concrete eggs. The result is ripe and textural, with juicy pear and quince aromatics. The finish is long with a clear schist-induced mineral print – this is a rare opportunity to read the Priorat terroir through the transparent lens of a white variety. For drinking now to 2028.
PRIORAT 2021
Mas d’en Caçador, Nit de Nin
66% Garnacha, Garnacha Peluda, 31% Cariñena Negra, 3% Cariñena Blanca
66% Garnacha, Garnacha Peluda, 31% Cariñena Negra, 3% Cariñena Blanca (13.5% alc.)
2ha of 85 to 125yo north-facing vines perched at 650m in the 'paraje' (lieu-dit) Mas d’En Caçador – this is one of Priorat’s highest vineyards and an iconic site in Porrera. Of note, the village of Porrera benefits from cooler temperatures in the appellation due to higher altitude and the Mediterranean breeze coming from the east – as opposed to the prestigious Gratallops (to the west of Porrera) where the lower altitude, and warmer conditions tend to produce bigger and more concentrated wines. Made from 100% whole bunches, this wine macerated for four weeks and was aged in old 225, 300 and 600ltr barrels for 17 months. Regularly ranked among the top 10 wines of Priorat and fetching the highest scores, it beautifully combines power and elegance. There’s a lifted texture to it with endless salivation, and the succulent dark fruit is refreshed by enticing blood orange aromatics. Ester and Carles explain that the schist here is brittle, and it has weathered a good amount of clay – the old vines strive in Mas d’En Caçador and that vigour is found in the finished wine! For drinking now to 2030+.
PRIORAT 2019
La Rodeda
100% Garnacha Peluda
100% Garnacha Peluda (14% alc.)
This was the first plot purchased by Ester Nin when settling in the area in the early 2000s. 0.45ha of 80yo+ vines in the paraje La Rodeda located below Mas d’En Caçador on the same steep slope at 450m. This is a pure garnacha peluda, the natural mutation of garnacha with thicker skins that produces fresher wines with a more rustic character. Made from 100% whole bunches, the wine ages in one barrel of 228 or 300ltr depending on the vintage – only 300 to 400 bottles are produced each year. It is juicy despite the pronounced tannic structure, and the concentration is such that the oak is always well integrated. A stunning and extremely rare wine. For drinking now to 2030.
PRIORAT 2019
La Coma d’en Romeu
100% Garnacha
100% Garnacha (14% alc.)
La Coma d’en Romeu is a 1.5ha amphitheatre of 80yo+ vines at 350m on a south-facing slope, a sun trap surrounded by forest. The plot, interspersed with almond, fig, hazelnut, olive, and fruit trees is a haven of biodiversity – a special place, quintessentially Mediterranean with a distinct vibration. Each spring, the blooming trees fill the air with intoxicating aroma, echoes of which appear in the wine. The llicorella soil in this paraje (extremely compressed and silica-flecked) is one of the oldest within the DO, formed by tectonic movements 450 million years ago – compared with Finca Les Planetes, at 325 million years old, just one kilometre away. This geological contrast underlines the natural complexity of the region’s soils. First released with the 2015 vintage, this wine is made from 100% whole bunches; it is aged for 17 months in 600ltr barrels and Stockinger foudres. This is perfumed, with wild Mediterranean herbs and flowers, alongside ripe peach flavours. A touch of earthiness and graphite notes add complexity, while the palate is multi-layered with a notable glycerol richness. A brooding wine with great energy that showcases a unique terroir. For drinking now to 2030.
PENEDÈS 2021
Terra Vermella
100% Parellada Montonega
100% Parellada Montonega (12.5% alc.)
This comes from the Pla de Manlleu zone in Alt Penedès, 1ha of 40-45yo vines owned by Ester’s brother. The vineyard is surrounded by forest at 550m altitude and sits on 'terra rossa' (terra vermella in Catalan): limestone weathering into iron-rich clay. Parellada montonega is a native, rare, and ancient strain of the low alcohol/high acidity parellada variety. The whole bunches macerated two days before fermentation in 225 and 300ltr barrels followed by 12 months ageing on fine lees. This is vibrant with refreshing bitters and a moreish texture; there’s a hint of reduction on the nose with fresh curry leaf aromatics. The label includes the mention 'vi blanc de guarda' translating as white wine for ageing. For drinking now to 2028+.
PENEDÈS 2020
Selma
25% Parellada Montonega, 25% Roussanne, 25% Marsanne, 25% Chenin
25% Parellada Montonega, 25% Roussanne, 25% Marsanne, 25% Chenin (12.5% alc.)
Selma is one of the highest hilltop villages in Alt Penedès, perched at 750m altitude on a limestone outcrop. Ester’s family comes from Selma, "your hands can touch the sky up there, this is the meaning of Selma in Catalan", she explains. The couple kicked off this experimental project in 2007 when they planted 1.3ha of their favourite French white varieties alongside the local parellada montonega. The wine is vinified and aged as per Terra Vermella. It naturally shows more power and textural depth, but framed with limestone-induced bitters and a vibrant acidity that balances the richness beautifully. The play on reduction through ageing on fine lees is also skilfully executed. As per Terra Vermella, Ester and Carles view Selma as a wine built to age – they hold back both cuvées for an additional two years in bottle before release. For drinking now to 2027+.