Bodega de Forlong is the classic utopian story of love at first sight: love of the land, of the return to traditions, love of the natural elements and an overall profound admiration and respect for the environment. Alejandro Naváerez y Rocío Áspera are natives of El Puerto de Santa Maria, old classmates who became friends turned lovers turned business partners and dreamcatchers.

Rocío is native to El Puerto de Santa Maria and Alejandro, half Spanish by way of Málaga/half French by way of his mother, can’t recall a childhood meal in which wine was not the centerpiece of great discussion. With inspiring traditions swirling all around him, Alejandro dreamed of emulating the path of his Grandfather - a great chemist who worked in Champagne whom through many years honed his skills to become an exceptional taster. These childhood winemaking dreams began to come true in 2007 when Rocío’s father purchased 6 hectares of land in El Puerto de Santa Maria within the Marco de Jerez – a farm that reminded him of where he had been raised in nearby Rota. The once bountiful land, historically owned by British merchant named ‘Peter Furlong” and locally praised for its colorful fruit crops, olive groves and vineyards, had been tragically abandoned and left unkept - home to only two remaining olive trees. For that reason, it was named in his honor: “El Olivar de Furlon”, without the ending “g” as the locals pronounced it.

Needless to say, Rocío and Alejandro also fell head over heels in love with the farm and fearlessly dedicated their lives and studies to learn how to reinvigorate the estate in the most natural, sustainable and organic way. After completing their Masters, Alex in “Winemaking” and Rocío in “Viticulture and Winemaking in Hot Climates”, Alex headed to France for stages in elite wineries, first at Chateau D’Aydie in Madiran and then later in Smith Haut Lafitte in Graves, Bordeaux. It was at Smith Haut Lafitte that Alex befriended Yann Laudeho, who became a mentor and dear friend, where he learned to treat the grapes with the utmost delicate handling and care in order to achieve a wine of great quality and identity. Together, the young couple absorbed these lessons like thirsty Albariza and put their boots to their own land, their hands to craft the labor.

While Alejandro honed his skills in France, Rocío spent four years learning alongside Willy Pérez, deepening her understanding of the vineyards and winemaking traditions of Jerez.

Alex and Rocío released their first wines in 2012 which were their red Merlot, Syrah and Tintilla de Rota cépage, as well as a Palomino and Pedro Ximenez white wine. Yet it wasn’t until 2014 when they completed the construction of their tiny bodega that they exclusively cared for their grapes from their vineyards to the bottling at their winery. Elated by the promise of what they tasted and experienced, the pair quickly adorned the new bodega with their 2,000 Liter clay amphora and barrels from Smith Haut Lafitte and began to produce their beloved Petite Forlong. Today, their catalog of playful, Certified Organic, biodynamically influenced, natural wines made with love from El Puerto de Santa Maria, Andalucía is a colorful array of Andalucian expression.

As their project has evolved, so has their understanding of the remarkable soils of Balbaína. From the iron-rich lustrillo of Balbaína Baja to the chalky albariza of Balbaína Alta, each vineyard tells a different story. With a deep respect for tradition and a healthy appetite for experimentation, Rocío and Alejandro have revived ancient rainwater-harvesting techniques and developed their own natural approach to protecting vines with powdered albariza. Their fascination with native varieties, particularly Palomino and Tintilla de Rota, continues to inspire wines that explore everything from amphora and skin contact to sparkling wines and the historic biological aging traditions of Jerez.

*All of the Forlong Vineyards are hand-harvested, Certified Organic and treated biodynamically.

 

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Technical Data

VINTAGE SUMMARY

  • 2016 Vintage: An exceptionally dry growing season, marked by persistent Levante winds and summer heat, reduced yields by approximately 26% compared with 2015. Despite the challenging conditions, healthy fruit and good ripeness provided a strong foundation for concentrated, characterful wines.

  • 2022 Vintage: Severe drought, repeated summer heatwaves and persistent dry Levante winds accelerated ripening and produced one of the region's earliest harvests on record. Yields were exceptionally low, with considerable variation in ripeness and acidity, making careful vineyard management and fruit selection essential.

  • 2023 Vintage: Another warm, dry growing season brought an early August harvest, with drought continuing to limit production. Despite these challenges, yields increased approximately 12% over 2022, and producers reported healthy grapes with excellent quality potential.

  • 2024 Vintage: A welcome return of spring rainfall and a relatively mild summer, supported by cooling Atlantic Poniente winds, restored balance to the vineyards. Favorable growing conditions encouraged healthy ripening, preserved freshness and increased regional yields approximately 25% over 2023.

  • 2025 Vintage: Abundant spring rainfall replenished soil moisture but created severe mildew pressure, followed by an intense August heatwave that further reduced production. The Marco de Jerez harvested approximately 35 million kg, a 45% decline from 2024, although carefully selected fruit showed promising ripeness and quality.

 

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