Recerca: Jessica Albero and Laurent Pujol’s search in Roussillon
From the newsletter archive. Originally sent 14 July 2026; adapted for the Journal on 29 October 2026.
Following a recommendation south
A recommendation from a friend in London led us to the wines of Recerca, then to a visit with Jessica Albero and Laurent Pujol between Vingrau and Paziols. Our July 2026 newsletter recorded the impression of wines full of flavour without excessive weight.
Recerca means research in Catalan. For Jessica and Laurent, the name fitted a project built through curiosity, persistence and a continuing willingness to learn.
A project that grew gradually
Jessica and her late husband Chris had discovered natural wine in Paris before opening Les Indigènes in Perpignan. The bar became a meeting place for growers and drinkers, and it was there that they met Laurent, who worked in local vineyards.
The earlier négociant project Zulu was part of that history. Recerca developed over time through an inherited hectare, rented vineyards and new plantings, with Jessica and Laurent building the estate one decision at a time.
Patience in a warm region
At the time of the newsletter, they farmed around seven hectares across marl, schist and limestone-clay soils. Macabeu sat alongside Muscat Petit Grains, Muscat d’Alexandrie, Grenache and Mourvèdre, with vines ranging from young plantings to old parcels.
Harvest timing and gentle work mattered in one of France’s hotter regions. In the cellar, whole-bunch fermentations, light foot-trodden macerations and spontaneous yeasts helped keep the focus on balance.
The original story described wines given at least two years in the cellar before release, as well as a Rancio aged for more than a decade. That willingness to wait helped explain the composure we found in the glass: generous wines that still held their freshness and detail.
