Alcohol: 16%
Grape(s): 35% Syrah, 25% Garnatxa, 20% Carinyena, 20% Merlot
Localization: Priorat, Spain
Tasting Notes: Robe garnet with touches of red geranium and mashed raspberries on the rim. On the nose, a beautiful explosion of macerated strawberries with tulips, red currant, wild herbs, thyme and crushed metamorphic rocks. Light, crisp and fresh entrance evolving into a silky mid-palate with touches of dark cherries. Crispy minerality, lingering acidity and touches of dense tannins with balsamic notes and licorice.
The Domain: Tiny and entirely composed of craggy, jagged and deeply terraced vineyards, Priorat is a Catalan wine-producing region that was virtually abandoned until the early 1990s. This Spanish wine's renaissance came with the arrival of René Barbier, who recognized the region’s forgotten potential. He banded with five friends to create five “Clos” in the village of Gratallops. Their aim was to revive some of Priorat’s ancient Carignan vines as well as plant new—mainly French—varieties. These winemakers were technically skilled, well-trained, and locally inspired; not surprisingly, their results were a far cry from the few rustic and overly fermented wines already produced.
This movement escalated Priorat’s popularity for a few reasons. Its new wines were modern and made with well-recognized varieties, namely old Carignan and Grenache blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. When the demand arrived, scarcity commanded higher prices, and as the region discovered its new acclaim, investors ran from near and far. Within ten years, the area under vine practically doubled.
Priorat’s steep slopes of licorella (brown and black slate) and quartzite soils, protection from the cold winds of the Siera de Monstant, and a lack of water, leading to incredibly low vine yields, all work together to make the region’s wines unique. While similar blends could and are produced elsewhere, the mineral essence and unprecedented concentration of a Priorat wine is unmistakable.
