Marc Ripoll recovers the forgotten Priorat

Gratallops distilled into ten hectares of slate soil

Cal Batllet: wines without masks in Priorat

Marc Ripoll Sans has transformed the old family winery in Gratallops into one of the most authentic winemaking projects in the DOQ Priorat. Recovered varieties, centenarian vines, and artisanal production that speaks of the territory without intermediaries.

The return to the origin: a winery with history

BBarcelona/Newsroom, January 22, 2026

In the year 2000, Marc Ripoll made a decision that would define his family’s future: to stop selling grapes to the cooperative and recover the old winery his grandfather had bought in the 1950s. That space in Gratallops, where “rancid” wines (vins rancis) were once made for export to Cuba, was transformed into Cal Batllet.

However, the turning point came in 2009, when Ripoll decided to concentrate all production under the concept of Vi de Vila (Village Wine), becoming a pioneer in a classification that prioritizes geographical identity above all else.

Today, the project covers ten hectares of estate-owned vineyards spread between Gratallops and Torroja del Priorat. These are slate slopes (costers de llicorella) with centenarian vines that Ripoll works manually, following sustainable viticulture methods. The annual production does not exceed 20,000 bottles. This limited volume responds to a clear philosophy: wine must be the literal expression of the place it comes from.

Escanyavella: rescuing a forgotten variety

Among Cal Batllet’s most notable endeavors is the recovery of Escanyavella, a native white variety that was on the brink of extinction. Rustic, late-ripening, and thick-skinned, this variety provides volume and power without losing freshness, thanks to its high natural acidity. The result is a unique wine that combines ripeness and vivacity—a sensory paradox that explains why Ripoll has dedicated so much effort to preserving it.

But it is not the only variety that defines the winery. Carinyena (Carignan), the absolute protagonist of the red wines, finds ideal conditions in Gratallops: intense sun, high temperatures, and controlled drought. From this combination, wines like 5 Partides are born—made with grapes from five different plots—or Llum d’Alena, an emotional wine dedicated to Ripoll’s daughter that seeks elegance over power.

Wines that speak of the territory without intermediaries

The wines of Cal Batllet are recognized for their mineral structure, a direct heritage of the llicorella (slate), and for a balanced ripeness that never sacrifices freshness. There are no “made-up” formulas or commercial concessions. Each bottle reflects the artisanal work of a man who controls the entire process: from pruning to bottling.

Marc Ripoll represents the fifth generation of the family’s winegrowers, but his gaze is not nostalgic. His project looks forward while keeping its feet firmly anchored in the Priorat soil. In a market saturated with discourses on authenticity, Cal Batllet does not need to explain itself: its wines speak for themselves.