Finca Tobella was founded in 2003 by a couple: John Lipscomb and Nuria Tobella, who met while studying Enology and Viticulture at the University of Davis (California).Priorat is the center of this whole story that begins in California and ends with a series of 100% terroir wines. There John worked for some of the most renowned (and expensive, it must be said) wineries, such as Opus One. But after a few years, Nuria decided to return to her native Catalonia... and John with her. This is how this Californian landed in Priorat.Fascinated by Priorat and the oenology that could be developed there, John and Nuria bought their first vineyard in 2003, near Gratallops. Little by little they are taking over the rest of the valley. This is how they put together a spectacular estate on the famous Priorat slate soil, licorella: 22 hectares of Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah and… Cabernet Sauvignon, the grape that John planted to remember his beloved Napa Valley.His philosophy is to produce high-quality small volumes that reflect the incredible Priorat terroir.

Priorat lies in the north east of Spain, just north of the Mediterranean coastal city of Tarragona. It is a remote, rural region south west of Barcelona in the Spanish province of Catalonia. The Priorat wine region has a rugged landscape, nestled in the foothills of the Montsant Mountains. On a clear day, it is possible to see the Pyrenees mountains from the vineyard hilltops. Catalonia, or Catalunya, is a fantastic viticultural region. Northeast of Priorat, closer to Barcelona, lies the wine region of Penedes, famous for its cava production. The neighboring wine region of Montsant forms a near circle around the Priorat wine region. The Montsant wine region is so close to the Priorat wine region that technically they are in the same county, or, comarca, also named Priorat.