Timeless Terroir
Parisian-born Virginie Buu-Hoi Stewart counts herself fortunate to have fulfilled her life’s goal of traveling over seas and living in major cities. And who could blame her if she pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming while in Vietnam, London, the United States, and South Africa? Never in her wildest dreams, though, did she think her ultimate destination would be an off-grid farm in a remote part of Spain.
In 2017, Virginie and her husband, James, took over her mother’s 6-hectare olive, almond, and herb farm in Catalonia, Spain. The property also includes the ruins of a 12th-century village and church. Although initially unsure what to expect, Virginie says the transition led to an unexpected passion for the land. “Who would’ve thought that a real Parisian like me would be willing to trade in her high heels, makeup, and suit for a pair of old jeans and boots to become a farmer?” she says.
A Course Set in Motion
Virginie didn’t know it at the time, but in 2002, her mother, Maria Mercedes Tacies Binefa, known as Mercedes, set her daughter’s course correction), a cabin called Cal Tacies, and an 18th-century house called Cal Tonillo.
