Winery/Brewery Info
Joan Carles Estivill is the third generation from his family to be tending to their family vineyards. The vineyards are located in Cornudella del Montsant, the highest village in the appellation. He is passionate about his vineyards and he only founded his bodega after the region received denomination of origin status. He leaves the wine making skills to his young winemaker, Ramon Valls. His boutique bodega only produces about 5,000 cases per year. Joan Carles developed a circular metal retainer that he puts around each of his old vines to provide a trellis effect for the vine. He finds that the retainer helps the grapes remain very small for better concentration. Joan Carles also lets the grass grow in the vineyards to absorb the spring rains in order to further stress the vines.
Wine has been produced in the region for many centuries, but all of the growers sold their grapes to the local cooperatives until the demarcated wine region of Montsant was founded in 1998. Besllum means ‘a ray of bright light coming through a small opening in a dark background’.