East London bar to host drop-in tasting of biodynamic Catalan wines with Vinyes Tortuga winemaker

The Buxton, on Osborn Street at the end of Brick Lane, is hosting a one-night, free-to-attend, drop-in winemaker residency with Spanish producer Vinyes Tortuga next Tuesday. Between 5pm and 8.30pm, the winery’s biodynamic, low-intervention wines will be poured in 75ml and 125ml tasting measures, priced from £5. The full range will be available to try by the glass, including bottles usually only sold whole. Guests can also learn about the producers and their methods from visiting co-founder Dido Morsink.

Taking its name from the tortoises that live among its vineyards, Vinyes Tortuga is based in the Empordà region of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain, an area known for its rugged coastal and inland landscapes. The wines are produced using biodynamic and low-intervention methods, limiting additives and technological intervention during production.

Co-founder Morsink will be at The Buxton to pour and speak to guests about the project. Over the course of the evening, eight different vintages and cuvées will be available to taste by the glass, alongside a short menu of Spanish bar snacks selected to complement the bottles, including croquetas and other small plates.

All of Vinyes Tortura’s wine is produced using biodynamic viticulture methods, a farming approach that treats the vineyard as a single ecosystem and follows a calendar linked to lunar and seasonal cycles. The Empordà region, where the winery is located, is one of Catalonia’s oldest wine-producing areas, with a history of viticulture dating back to Greek and Roman settlement. The area’s climate is influenced by the Tramuntana wind, which blows from the north and affects growing conditions in local vineyards.

Vinyes Tortuga was founded in 2018 by Dido and her partner Jurriaan, when the Dutch couple decided to trade in their careers and pursue their calling. Jurriaan (an engineer and eco-conscious travel agency founder) and Dido (a cultural anthropologist researching South African natural wines) settled in the Catalonian region, crowdfunded their estate and released their inaugural vintage. They embraced the philosophy of natural viticulture, living and farming in harmony with the land and “letting the grapes express themselves naturally”. The result is a range of natural wines that reflect the characteristics of their vineyard and vintage – or, as the team say, “No tricks, no shortcuts, just pure, vibrant wine.”

Food Desk

Meet the Winemaker: Vinyes Tortuga takes place on 28^th July 2026 at The Buxton, 42 Osborn Street, London E1 6TD. Entry is free and no booking is required; tasting glasses are priced from £5.

For further information about Vinyes Tortuga, visit their website here.

For further information about The Buxton, visit their website here.