Charlie Prymaka founded JUGO VINS in 2020. He came to Mallorca in 2019 to work with Cati Ribot in her cellar in Santa Margalida, helping her make natural wines under her label, Ve D’Avior. For the previous decade, he had worked in wine in NYC, London and elsewhere and, when he could, he worked harvests in the United States (with Evan Lewandowski of Ruth Lewandowski Wines and Scott Frank of Bow & Arrow Wines), in Australia, and in Spain. Now, Charlie and his partner Lauren Duttenhofer are making their own wines in Cati’s cellar with fruit from her vines and other organically farmed parcels across Mallorca. Their focus is mainly on Mallorquin indigenous varieties, and the goal is to produce fresh, vin de soif style natural wines. These are wines for everyone and everything, that don’t take themselves too seriously and are great to drink with food or without – Wines for Whenever!
In addition to JUGO VINS, Charlie and Lauren opened a natural wine shop in Palma de Mallorca in 2021: CAV. If you’re in Mallorca, stop by and say hello - maybe you’ll get to meet their adorable corgi, Bao!
The Wines
Giggle Water 100% Prensal Blanc, an indigenous Mallorquin white variety that is slow to ripen and naturally low in acidity, from an organically farmed vineyard in Santa Margalida. Charlie harvests quite a bit earlier than most other producers around him with the goal of maintaining acidity in his wines. Grapes were harvested by hand and 90% were destemmed, leaving 10% whole cluster, then fermented with native yeasts on their skins in plastic vats for 11 days with daily punch downs. Then, the wine was pressed to rest and complete malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks with a single racking. After resting, bottled without fining or filtration and only a small addition of SO2.
Jugosa 80% Syrah, 20% Moscatel Petit Grains from an organically farmed vineyard of 24-year-old vines. Charlie notes that these international varieties aren’t well-suited to dry, hot Mallorca and he has to harvest very early to ensure that they aren’t overripe or low in acidity. Grapes were harvested by hand and deposited in plastic vats to coferment via carbonic maceration for 17 days, with regular blasts of CO2 to ensure cabonic character, then foot trodden and pressed to stainless steel tank. In tank, the wine rests and completes malolactic fermentation in the fall. Bottled without fining, filtering, or SO2 addition. The winemaking process is inspired by Evan Lewandowski, and the name means “Juicy” – but more typically applied to a cut of meat than a bottle of wine.
Molt Bo 70% Mantonegro, 15% Callet, 10% Callet Negrella, 5% Escursac from a mix of organically farmed vineyards in the east of Mallorca, with the largest part coming from a very young vineyard near the winery. These are all indigenous Mallorquin varieties with very thin skins. Grapes were harvested by hand and 90% destemmed, leaving 10% whole cluster, and cofermented carbonically for 12 days with native yeasts in plastic vats. Charlie punched down the cap by hand very gently every morning and every night, then pressed the wine to rest: 50% in used French oak 500L puncheon and 50% in stainless steel tank. Bottled without fining, filtering, or SO2 addition. “Molt Bo” means “very good” in Mallorquin.
