“In the nicest possible way, of course.” You can also contact us if you would like us to review samples, participate in a press trip or review a sponsorship opportunity. The wine certainly feels ambitious, aspiring for comparisons that go beyond the boundaries of Priorat. Another thing to look for in Priorat is minerality. Tasting notes: A classic wine I have reviewed here on Opening a Bottle before (way back in the site’s first year), the Camins del Priorat is a surprisingly bright, light-on-its-toes and juicy — but no less powerful and bracing — wine. WINE OF THE WEEK: Taste the Difference Priorat 2013 £10, Sainsbury's You can pay a small fortune for a wine from the remote, hilly region of Priorat in Catalonia – home to some of Spain’s most expensive and recherché reds – and yet Sainsbury’s manages to put this one on the shelves at £10. Natural? Denver-based wine tastings Priorat is a very small and mountainous area in the interior of the province of Tarragona, crossed by the basins of the rivers Siurana, Montsant, and Cortiella, we spend 3 days at Priorat.In the Priorat region, wine tourists can find more than just fine wines and wineries to visit. Oblige. Priorat also boasts one of the most distinctive soil types in the wine world — a coppery brown, iron-rich slate known locally as llicorella. Yes, minerality: that does-it-or-does-it-not-exist topic that is only surpassed in vitriol — among wine connoisseurs — by the virtues of natural winemaking. Now, some 20 years later, those vines of the ’90s are beginning a phase of character development all their own. “Drinking a young Priorat can be remarkably like sucking a stone” says Master of Wine Jancis Robinson. • Value: Very Good. (Quack, quack.) The future for this big-red-wine lovers mecca wasn’t always secure. My group of friends debating this wine a while, noting its strong reductive qualities as “funky.” But good news: they evaporated as the wine opened up, revealing a rather fascinating — if austere — wine. Oblige. Intensely aromatic, with fine tannins and a plush profile, but I kept waiting for it to reveal its true colors. I feel it exists, and it can be detected in the sensation of the wine on the palate — a slight coarseness that’s similar to drinking mineral water. The Clos Figueras Winery in Priorat is both hotel, restaurant and winery. • Value: Exceptional. Of the appellation’s 20,000 total hectares, only 1,600 are planted to vine, most of which is devoted to red varieties like Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot, all of which can be used in the final blend per appellation regulations. Let’s explore with this first taste guide. Expect to spend: If you want a great Priorat, expect to spend in the realm of $40–$60 (top producers are often much higher). Alcohol: 15% The rugged mountains the encircle Priorat DOQ. So why is that? Priorat isn’t exactly new to winemaking. Tasting notes: A classic wine I have reviewed here on Opening a Bottle before (way back in the site’s first year), the Camins del Priorat is a surprisingly bright, light-on-its-toes and juicy — but no less powerful and bracing — wine. But this visit to Priorat in May 2015 was a turning point–the first time I could taste such an immediate connection between the wine and the ground it comes from. Copyright © 2020 / Kevin Day, Opening a Bottle & Headwaters Content. The Garnacha- and Cariñena-focused Priorat has an ambitious (and much larger) brother lurking around its shoulders in the Montsant DO, which does not face the same cost pressures as Priorat. Forty years ago, a simple land acquisition changed the trajectory of a sleepy, dry and rugged corner of northeastern Spain known as Priorat. Photo Courtesy of Clos Figueras SA. These wines are noted on the label as “Vi de la Vila.” Why is this important for your first taste? The stony rubble which passes for soil (usually slate or schist though sometimes limestone, too) and the altitude and its implications for diurnal temperature variations seems to give white Priorat, when sensitively handled, aromatic nuance, a subtle but sustained acid balance, and a beguiling unfruitiness of flavour. Priorat wine region with tasting and sightseeing in Siurana. A producer by the name of René Barbier formed a gang of passionate viticulturists, winemakers, and advocates to create several site-specific wines in Priorat. “But it was all the same stuff.”, A village in the Priorat region of Catalunya. callback: cb • Food-friendliness: Selective From there, embark on a 100 kilometer round-trip journey through the stunning mountains of Priorat, an area renowned for wine production. ); Food Matching: Pairs well with Venison and Game. Italy's Most Underrated Appellation is Ready to Challenge Barolo, Looking for Balance in the Hot and Windy Southern Rhône. ©DOQ Priorat. Priorat had all but disappeared as a wine-growing region by the mid-1970s, due to the fascist dictator Francisco Franco’s subsistence-based agricultural policy and the region’s remoteness. They introduced fine winemaking techniques (like small new French oak barrels), utilized French varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Priorat’s success, born from the marriage of people and place, presents as great story, but an even better wine…, See which Priorat we used in the #winefollybook trailer! There is a lot of untouched nature on the quiet hiking trails. Accounting for less than half a percent of yields, Pedro Ximénez is naturally sweet and high in … Wine Tastings. 1990.René Barbier, a Catalan wine-maker who had studied and worked in France, arrives in Paris with three bottles of red wine he has just bottled in the Priorat.He goes to have lunch at the restaurant run by the best sommelier of the moment, Jean-Claude Jambon.René asks Jean-Claude to taste the wine he has brought from Catalonia. Several people in my tasting group lingered with this wine, and it just kept speaking in dark, piercing tones. { Inspired by French quality winemaking and the dramatic nature of Priorat’s vineyards, a handful of winemakers decided to reclaim Priorat for quality wine in the late 1980s. Add to this situation the intense love of the Mediterranean sun, and Priorat ascends to the top of the rich, ripe red wine pantheon. @WineFolly, Priorat DOP/DOQ regulatory document (pdf), "Scala Dei" history from 1163 AD Spanish-wines.org, Over 600 growers in 2011 according to DOQPriorat.org located in Torroja del Priorat. Wines from Priorat offer a great combination of great taste and an affordable price The typical structure of Priorat offers soft, moderate acidity matched with big, brawny tannins, and relatively high alcohol (usually in the 14% and up ABV range). The tour starts with pickup at your hotel in Salou, Cambrils or Pineda. And, while young vineyards of Cariñena aren’t known for quality winemaking, many of the Cariñena bush vines in Priorat are 90-plus years old, concentrating the crop load and makes for very intensely flavored mostly red-fruit driven wines. (certified organic and biodynamic)  Since 2015, Ben and his team have helped wine and spirits brands from all over the world launch their products in the UK market. Watch Trailer. After three vintages, the winemakers separated and began to produce their own wines, but by then, they had grabbed the world’s attention. Evocative, intensely aromatic, and a real show-stopper. Today, this small but important appellation is embarking on another new chapter. Couldn't Help It). The vineyard plantings in Priorat are approximately 39% Garnacha (Grenache), 27% Cariñena (Carignan), 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, and 6% Merlot. A whole host of other grapes are permitted, including Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Pinot Noir. on: function(evt, cb) { These two grape varieties provide the backbone of nearly all Priorat reds, although no minimum or maximum of any variety is required by law. Food; Anthony Gismondi: Priorat may be the home of the best wines you've never heard of. Cabernet Sauvignon, if present, rarely contributes more than 20% of the blend, but its seductive presence is felt in the form of cocoa-like tones. The Priorat district is famous for its strong red wines made of the Cariñena (Carignan) and Garnacha (Grenache) grapes. They took a risk and attempted to make a great wine in the mountains outside of Barcelona. Priorat seems to have come a long way since our last tasting in March 2011. Priorat is a Spanish wine region—located in the Catalonian province of Tarragona—which has been awarded DOC status (DOQ in Catalan) - the highest category in Spanish wine regulations. Alcohol: 14% Priorat DOQ, Spain Tasting notes: The only wine produced by this Priorat winemaker is the sumptuous yet challenging Berta Franquet. This was originally a sleeper region that made some excellent wines but was relatively unknown until well known critics such as Robert Parker started singing praises regarding the wines of that region. } But I digress. Seriously old Carignan can produce interesting wine, and producers such as Cims de Porrera base as much as 85 per cent of their Classic bottling on this variety, whose wine can often taste hard and tart if the vines are less than 15 years old. Also, be prepared for alcohol: Priorat wines are usually north of 15% ABV because of the region’s heat, but successful winemakers are able to balance this with dark fruit, tempered acidity and fine tannins. On the hunt for the best wines from Priorat? • Value: A Little Pricey. The best wines in Priorat source their fruit from old vines Garnacha and Cariñena. Farming here must be done by hand, and the wines often see new oak, which explains the high starting price. Like the Riesling wines of the Mosel, the slate imparts a stony character to the wine’s texture. Breadcrumb Trail Links. Serving suggestion: For optimal serving, open a half hour before serving. Aromas brought to mind strawberry, oaky vanilla, eucalyptus, cola and musk. All four of the wines listed below successfully did this in my opinion, and as a result, are a good showcase of Priorat’s llicorella soil. The rose looks stitched onto the bottle. Natural? This new vision for fine wine from Priorat was lead by René Barbier, whose family and winemaking ideologies came from around Gigondas in the Southern Rhône of France shapes, and may explain why Rhône varieties are used so frequently. Are you listening?!). Natural? The best way to get our newest bottle recommendations, winemaker profiles, First Taste Guides and vineyard stories (completely free). Map courtesy of doqpriorat.org. ‘You can taste the unique footprint of Priorat in the wines. Additional flavors might include some saline (Maldon or smoked salt) and spiced (cinnamon, cardamom, molasses) notes, often with a somewhat herbal-minty or licorice-anisette finish. However, the land has its limits. Priorat is a small, dynamic wine region in Catalonia, north-eastern Spain, whose intense, full-bodied red wines have shot to fame in the past few decades. • Food-friendliness: Versatile Tour the must visit Priorat wineries, experience the best wine tastings and learn the insiders secrets of this Spanish wine region cellars from our expert wine guides on your custom private Spanish wine lovers tour with us.. Priorat D.O.Q. Priorat’s wines do not come cheap, but they are deep, mysterious and fascinating. Get to Know This Sparkling Wine from the Italian Alps, Alto Adige's Sleeper Red Asks for Reconsideration, Zinfandel's Identical Twin Brother (More or Less) in Puglia. The wines that led with Garnacha felt more safe. One of the most distinctive things about Priorat’s wine is the amount that the terroir impacts the taste. This wine wants lamb. Very smooth, but with gripping acidity, and even, steady tannins that tone down the usual Priorat attack. Grenache with Italian Panache (Sorry. These original five labels, Clos Mogador, Clos Dofí (now Finca Dofí ), Clos de L’Obac , Clos Martinet , and Clos Erasmus all  received intense international attention and high ratings for their outstanding wines in the middle 1990s. By this time, Priorat was large and well known for winemaking (with somewhere close to 12,350 acres/5000 hectares of vineyards). This wine will want beef. Priorat’s story is inspiring; to think about how the work of a small group of winemakers (who shared resources) were able to change the fate of an entire region–so much so, that the wines of Priorat are among the finest (and most expensive) wines of Spain. The broken rocks form a shallow soil that is low in organic content, and this forces the vines’ roots to explore every crevice underground in a thirsty quest for water and nutrients. The wine area is the only one with Rioja that has been named the fine DOC (instead of DO as the rest of the wine regions of Spain are called), and many of the wine houses have received praise from Spanish and international wine magazines. Priorat’s landscape cannot be easily tamed, and its unbridled heat leaves no margin for error. Taste ! Assuming this is your first taste, start by spinning the bottle around and checking the grape blend. Old vines in Priorat are either Garnacha or Carignan. This effort identified and standardized the 12 villages of Priorat, allowing winemakers to showcase more specific terroir in their wines if they meet certain criteria. (function() { Then, in the late 1800s, phylloxera hit the region and devastated the vines, causing the region to collapse and depopulate. Less extraction than the others, yet just as full bodied and expressive as many of the top bottles we sampled. Grapes: Garnacha (40%), Cariñena (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), Syrah (10%) Taste is sour cherry with medium acidity that finishes with a strong kalmata … } Primary Flavors. 10% off 6 or more bottles with code MIXSIX. Denver-based wine tastings Priorat; Taste! forms: { Those of us who have an obsession for bold red wines gravitate to places like Priorat: a tiny mountainous region, rugged and dry, pretty much unsuitable for any other crop, except for wine grapes and olives. It’s a nice metaphor for the wine inside: deceptively delicate. Keep in mind most wineries are located around the largest villages of Gratallops, Porrera, Poboleda, and Torroja, but great quality can be found throughout the region. Its mild flavor makes it a useful blending grape for cavas and rosés, and it also blends well with Garnacha Blanca. And That's the Point. • Food-friendliness: Selective Travel to the village of Poboleda and taste wines from old vines at a family-owned winery. It is perfect to accompany seafood and fish with intense flavors such as sea bream and sea bass. Ben Franks FRSA is an award-winning wine writer and entrepreneur. Pair Priorat wines with local dishes at several of the Priorat’s top restaurants. Priorat DOQ, Spain I cannot confirm that this is a “natural” wine, but it sure felt minimally manipulated. By Rosemary George (Zester Daily) December 17, 2015 - It is extraordinary to consider that about 20 years ago Priorat was an unknown name in the roll call of Spanish wine regions. The best age a minimum of five years before release and some include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for additional complexity. Open and enjoy now … this one has entered its prime, which could be a nice long phase. Amongst the new group, several producers have adopted the term Clos in their name to champion the idea of site-specificity. Oblige. Descriptions of the aroma can include freshly wetted summer pavement (“petrichor”) with a little bit of wet clay thrown in: what you might imagine smelling while riding a cyclocross bike during a summer rain. He convinced his boss — Álvaro Palacios of the famed Rioja winemaking family, as well as a handful of others — to buy land and plant grapes as well. It’s not. Volume: 75cl. He founded Novel Wines in 2016, a specialist UK retailer in truly unique wines. Our judges’ perceptions then of high-alcohol, over-oaked and concentrated wines have been replaced, thanks to an exciting new style. With investment and interest inspired by the original five Clos, there are now 4,696 acres (1,900 hectares) of vineyards with nearly 100 wineries (and 600 growers). You may see Priorat wines labeled as a “Vins de Vila” from one of these specific zones. Priorat’s history with winemaking is a rollercoaster. listeners: [], (similar story to Northern Rhone) They adopted the French-inspired site-specific term of Clos, meaning “protected” or “walled” vineyard in their winery names. The region has a record for winemaking since the creation of the Cartoixa d’Escaladei Priory in 1163 (Escaladei means “ladder to god” in Latin). } Different, but a n authentic Syrah from the Priorat. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Interested in educational wine tastings in Colorado? Serving suggestion: For optimal drinking, decant and allow to breathe for at least two hours before serving. The 2014s and 2016s were fine, but their complexity still seemed a bit hidden under a layers of Priorat’s bristling acidity and tannin. This wine is a color bomb and something you definitely want to taste. Contact us if you would like to license imagery … we do love seeing our images used, but demand credit or compensation depending on usage. But that spirit of collectivist winemaking continued with René Barbier, Álvaro Palacios, José Luiz Pérez, Carles Pastrana, Daphne Glorian and a few others, who pooled their grapes for the earliest vintages, made a single wine, and then bottled them as separate labels. “Raisins in black leather chaps” I wrote in my tasting notes after that first whiff (for some reason … maybe the wine had me thinking about motorcylces), but eventually, the aromas seemed to conjure thoughts of concentrated figs, prunes, roses, cocoa, oak and cinnamon stick. In 2009, the Priorat DOQ added another layer to the onion — Vins de Vila. Tasting notes: Of the wines we tasted, this one drew the most comparisons to Châteauneuf-du-Pape because of its Garnacha-forward profile and massive, muscular body. Serving Advice: 15-18 degrees C. Taste: Gentle tannins and a hint of spice with flavours of blueberries and black cherries. event : evt, Vineyards are denoted in purple, and the deeper violet zones indicate areas with many old vines. All rights reserved. This wine wants duck. (Spanish official wine appellation) in 1954 it wasn’t until 1989 (with less than 1500 acres of vineyards), that things started to change. Cariñena – Garnacha is a popular red-wine blend used in southern France and northeastern Spain (particularly Catalonia). They had an almost ethereal quality that is occasionally attributed to Grenache, but not commonly so in Priorat. Finally, pay attention to vintage. 2012 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat. To meet this high standard, the governing body of the appellation needs to have wine-traceability systems in place to ensure the wine’s origin, as well as rigorous quality control systems and standards. This map lays out tons of great wines awaiting your discovery in one of the largest wine making areas on earth. By the time Mr. Barbier rolled into the region in the late 1970s, viticulture was focused on the production of bulk wine via the local cooperatives. • Value: As Expected. The classic Priorat wine is made from old-vine Garnacha and Cariñena , and has concentrated aromas of licorice, tar and brandied cherries. This aroma is sometimes described as freshly wetted summer pavement (“petrichor”) with a little bit of wet clay thrown in: what y… Priorat DOQ, Spain It is not unusual for red Priorat wines to reach – or exceed – 15% alcohol by volume. Each time I taste my wine, I can taste the terroir.’ Grapes: Cariñena (44%), Garnacha (36%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%), Merlot (2%), Syrah (2%) Today, much has changed. Only new French allier oak barrels are used for 16 months to … In our group, the best wines were the oldest ones: a 2010 and a 2011. Wines with an ample percentage of Garnacha will lead with red fruits, those from Cariñena will lead with darker tones. The Spirit of Languedoc Food & Wine Tour; Anytime Languedoc; The Princess & The Bear; Places to Stay in Carcassonne; Taste Tours. Today, it seems — at least from a distance — Priorat has moved beyond that generation of producers, in large part because the area’s vineyards are entering a new phase of maturity. Opening a Bottle is an independent online magazine focused on telling the story of unique wines, winemakers and wine regions. Colorado-based wine tastings, Breaking Down Your Italian Options for New Years Eve Bubbly, Writer Clay Dillow Explores the Evolving Landscape of a Spanish Wine Goliath. The backbone of red Priorat wines is made from local Garnacha and Carineña, with some amounts of French Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. What makes Priorat so special? At one percent of production in Priorat, it’s the region’s second biggest white wine grape. Alcohol: 15% Serving suggestion: For optimal drinking, decant and allow to breathe for at least an hour before serving. Currently in Orange Beach ... ... just a touch of Cab from the Priorat region of Spain. Tasting notes: A tremendous wine. The extreme (some would call it “hostile”) terrain would never be kind to viticulture, but for Barbier, it seemed like it would reward those dedicated to patience and hardwork. No matter what Garnacha- and Cariñena-focused winemakers in Montsant (or southern France for that matter) do, there will only be one Priorat. Priorat DOQ, Spain • Food-friendliness: Versatile The dominant vineyard plantings in Priorat are Garnacha (aka Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan). Ratings: ★★★★ 1/4 (out of five) Ratings: ★★★★ 1/2 (out of five) Ratings: ★★★★ 3/4 (out of five) The Miracle of the Priorat. Priorat and Montsant have many small innovative producers. The other grapes that combine to create the Priorat blend are French imports, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The most common flavors and aromas found in rich and powerful Priorat wines include dark fruit and berries that may be accompanied by salty, spicy, mineral, and herbal notes. New plantings in the 1990s followed, fueled by a desire to capitalize on the success of Barbier’s Clos Mogador, Glorian’s Clos Erasmus and Palacios’ L’Ermita. Burgundy; Taste! But young vines are eager, and in the heat of Priorat they yield fruit that’s overly eager as well. The Priorat region is located in Tarragona, southwest of Barcelona in the southern area of Catalunya. The resulting wines are deep, rich and full of body and flavour. Something was hiding in this wine, likely because we opened it too early. Aromas recall raspberry, blackberry, roses, licorice and tar, as well as fresh almond. Serving suggestion: My initial rating might be a bit low given where this wine is headed, so for now, keep it cellared for many more years. 15% ABU Dark ruby with the slightest tinge of purple in color. Taste the wine for yourself on a 1-hour guided wine tasting at the cellars of Scala Dei, the oldest winery in the region. It was 1979, and Rioja-based winemaker René Barbier must have had stars in his eyes. Doq added another layer to the onion — Vins de Vila of five years release... Family-Owned winery copyright © 2020 / Kevin Day, Opening a Bottle ” our. 4 primary taste styles Clos Figueras winery in the mountains outside of Barcelona the! The tour starts with pickup at your hotel in Salou, Cambrils or Pineda sensible structure and red notes! And most Bracing red Looks to the future for this big-red-wine lovers mecca wasn t! Review samples, participate in a press trip or review a sponsorship opportunity would follow from! 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