Familia Torres presents Purgatori 2022, the tenth vintage of this iconic organic wine from the DO Costers del Segre, which, for the first time, incorporates the ancestral Gonfaus variety, complementing the Garnacha. This is a pre-phylloxera variety, recovered by the family winery to adapt to climate change, and planted in this historic estate in Lleida, characterized by its extreme climate, where it has developed its full potential and demonstrated its resilience.
In this new vintage, Purgatori maintains its Mediterranean profile and aromatic intensity, with Garnacha as its backbone. The Gonfaus variety complements it at 15%, adding more character, freshness, and aromatic complexity, with spicy notes and mature tannins that contribute to its smoothness and elegance.
The inclusion of Gonfaus in the blend marks a turning point in this winemaking project, which was first introduced in 2012. It is now the only wine on the market that includes this variety in its blend — the winery also produces a limited-edition monovarietal Gonfaus. This represents the culmination of a decade of work, research, and passion for the land, reaffirming the Familia Torres commitment to the recovery of ancestral varieties and the creation of unique and sustainable wines.
Gonfaus, an ancient feminine variety
Familia Torres located the Gonfaus variety more than 20 years ago as part of its project to recover ancestral varieties, introducing it experimentally in their estate in Les Garrigues for study. It is a late-ripening, low-yield variety that matures slowly, resulting in wines with intense and complex aromas of ripe fruits, with a slightly spicy background, and displaying good acidity and concentration.
What makes Gonfaus especially unique is that it is one of the few known "female" varieties today — most grape varieties are hermaphroditic. It is also possibly linked to many of the grape varieties known today. A study conducted by French ampelographer Dr. Thierry Lacombe from the Institute Agro Montpellier - INRAE, examining the familial relationships of Catalan varieties, demonstrates that Gonfaus is an ancient variety, the mother of Querol — one of the first varieties recovered by Familia Torres — and is related to other varieties, such as the also ancestral Pirene.
2022 Vintage
The Purgatorio estate, located in the heart of Les Garrigues, between Juneda and Borges Blanques, is set in an area with an extreme continental climate, marked by significant thermal fluctuations and deep, well-drained soils that promote slow maturation and intense aromatic expression in the wines. Planted at various altitudes (ranging from 350 to 550 meters), the vineyard is organic and has been cultivated using regenerative practices since 2021. These practices aim to restore the natural fertility of the soil, prevent erosion, foster biodiversity, and contribute to atmospheric CO₂ capture.
The 2022 vintage was characterized by widespread drought and high temperatures throughout the entire vegetative cycle and maturation period. While this impacted yields, the quality of the grapes was not affected. Each variety was harvested at its optimal ripening point and vinified separately in stainless steel and cement tanks, constructed using soil from the estate itself. The wine then underwent aging for between 9 and 12 months in French oak barrels and foudres, with some barrels being partially new.
This approach highlights the winery's commitment to preserving the unique characteristics of each vintage while ensuring that the environmental conditions of each year are respected in the final product.
The Purgatory of Benedictine Monks
Purgatorio was born in 2012 as the first wine from Familia Torres in Costers del Segre, inspired by the story of the Benedictine monks who inhabited this inhospitable place in the 18th century and worked the land — some say as penance to atone for their sins. Despite the harsh living conditions, they soon discovered that good wines were born from the land, but not all the barrels made it to the monastery. The mysterious disappearance of the wine was blamed on angels by the monks. The Purgatori label commemorates this story and keeps its legacy alive.