2007 Clos Erasmus Priorat

"The Priorat wasn't always a home to many of Spain's most exciting wineries, but with names like Rene Barbier, Alvaro Palacios, and now, Daphne Glorian of Clos Erasmus, there is no denying how deserving it is of its current status as a "Spanish Darling." Clos Erasmus is produced from four vineyard sites, with a miniscule (total) vineyard surface of only 2 hectares. All the vines are planted on deeply sloped terrasses originally carved into the moutainside by the Ancient Greeks, for their cultivation of vines, olives, and almonds. Las Escalas, the first vineyard site in the area that Daphne visited, became Clos Erasmus. The terrasses were restored, vines planted alongside the existing old vines of Grenache, and in 1990 Clos Erasmus was born. Yields are only 18-20 hectoliters per hectare, and the number of cases produced has never been more than 140 per year." -Eric Solomon Selections