Priorat Wine Tasting at Wine Watch

 

Never buy the cheapest wine in any category, as its taste may discourage you from going on. The glass, corks, cartons, and labor are about the same for any wine, as are the ocean freight and taxes for imported wines. Consequently, if you spend a little more, you are likely to get a better wine, because the other costs remain fixed.  Cheap wine will always be too expensive.

Bespaloff, Alex | Wine Writer

That has always been true of the Priorat but we have several GREAT values in the line-up for these three events.

It’s like a crash course on the Priorat for the next week or so here at the store on Friday night, then at the Edge Steak and Bar next Tuesday night and the following night at Cafe Maxx!

The Priorat makes some of Spain’s greatest wines and some of the most expensive as well.  The high elevation of the vineyards and cost of farming the old vines make the best wines very expensive and there really are no cheap wines until you get into the foothills of Monsant.  So we have included a few wines from this region for their value appeal.

Every time we show wines from the Priorat I am surprised to see how many new fans these wines acquire. They have gorgeous forward fruit and an early appeal that rank very high on the immediate gratification scale.  We like the wines of the Priorat so much we have dedicated an annual event to showcasing the new releases from area.

Join us as we taste through over dozen wines from the Piedmont including several vintage wines from the Wine Watch collection and of course Wine Watch Catering's Toni Lampasone will be providing a few small treats to pair with the wines. This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this event is $45 all-inclusive for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Priorat Wine Tasting at The Wine WatchWednesday, July 19, 20137:00 PM

 

United Cellars

Ediciones i-Limitadas Flors 2011 Price: $25.25       Sale $22.22          Case $258

Ediciones I-Limitadas, as its name may well suggest, is a series of wines with very limited production runs as well as a wide-open family of wines, to which new projects are gradually incorporated.

Some of these editions run with successive vintages, wines that are produced year after year, but most of them are unique wines, with no continuity, editions managed by the Alfredo Arribas team, in collaboration with other wineries which share the same philosophy, or wines which are personalized, exclusive and made especially for restaurant proprietors. Some of these wines are destined exclusively for export.

Portal del Priorat Gotes 2011 Price: $31.50       Sale $27.72          Case $322

This wine spends 10 months in French barrique, not all new, a blend of 50/50 Grenache and Carignan, a very forward and enticing bouquet dark berry fruit, fresh wild flower and a slate like minerality, very sweet and enticing bouquet. A big and fruity wine on the tongue with layers of cherry liqueur and blackberry fruit with a lovely savory finish, an array of perfumed floral nuance and slate like minerality, nice complexity and length on the finish. Finish 45+ Excellent

Clos del Portal Negres de Negre 2010 Price: $43.50       Sale $38.28          Case $444

A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Carignan, 10% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, a big and fruity wine on the nose with dark cherry liqueur like fruit blueberry and dark raspberry fruit very ripe and seductive with fresh wild flowers and that slaty minerally nuance from the unique terroir here in the Priorat. This producer makes 5 different Priorat wines and 6 montsants. A very dark and spicy wine on the palate with copious amounts of ripe cherry and black raspberry like fruit with a lovely savoriness to the finish, very fresh with flowers and herbs along with a host of minerality. Finish 45 Excellent

Clos del Portal Somni 2009 Price: $82.50       Sale $72.60          Case $842

Somni is a wine of great depth and intensity, an opaque shade and silky in texture, which exhibits a remarkable elegance and wealth of nuances. A Priorat of great finesse, freshness and subtlety, with notes of violets, pepper, the flowers of Mediterranean plants (rosemary)…, which becomes better by the year and very soon will find itself among the true greats.

Clos del Portal Tros de Clos 2011 Price: $103.50    Sale $91.08          Case $1056

Tros del Clos is the Grand Cru of Portal del Priorat. A wine made solely with Cariñena grapes emanating from a century-old vineyard of only one hectare, planted on a coster (hillside) in 1911, and which identifies itself perfectly with the landscape, not only in its colour, the opaqueness and violet hue, almost the colour of slate, but also in its aromatic character (fresh, mineral, with floral notes too) and on the palate: silky and fresh. A wine yet again subtle and elegant - as all of them are from this winery - intense and full of life, and for which there is no shortage of meticulous care and attention during its making and ageing.

 

Stacole

Gramona “Gessami” Penedes 2012                        Price: $19.00      Sale $16.72         Case $194

This wine is like a walk in the spring. It's reminiscent of the coolness of fresh air and a bouquet of white flowers, (roses, jasmine, etc.), fennel, apricots and forest, all wrapped in a sweet atmosphere full of freshness. A blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc; 35% Muscat d'Frontignan; 15% Muscat d'Alexandria and 10% Gewürztraminer

 

Mas d’en Compte Blanco Priorat 2011                  Price: $28.00       Sale $24.64          Case $286

The wine is made from 65% Garnacha Blanca and other local varieties.  It is sourced from 25 year old vines and is rich and flavorful on the nose and palate, with notes of light toast and a honeyed mouth feel.  Aged for 6 months in new FRench oak.

 

Buil & Gine “Joan” Priorat Red 2007   Price: $26.00       Sale $22.88          Case $266

A blend of 45% Red Garnacha, 45% Cariñena, from old vines (more than 25 years) and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from young vines (5-12 years).Rich with black fruits, figs, mint and sweet pepper, well combined with oak flavors like vanilla, toasted dry fruits and truffle. Structured wine with strong but pleasant tannins and mineral notes that come from ‘Llicorella’ soil. Ripe grape bouquet typical of the Priorat Garnacha and Cariñena varieties. Open and decant 30 minutes before drinking.

Mas Alta Artigas Priorat 2010                Price: $30.00       Sale $26.40          Case $306

(91 Points)  (70% garnacha, 25% carinena and 5% cabernet sauvignon, aged for 16 months in small French oak): Bright purple. Powerful aromas of blackberry, blueberry and Asian spices. Weighty dark berry flavors display a liqueur-like depth, with zesty minerality providing lift. Smooth tannins give support and grip to a long, sweet, penetrating finish. 91 points  By Josh Raynolds   Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Sep 12

Merum “Ardiles” Priorat 2005              Price: $22.50       Sale $19.80          Case $230

(91 Points) The 2005 Ardiles is composed of 45% Garnacha, 34% Carinena, 18% Syrah, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark ruby-colored, it reveals an alluring bouquet of slate, mineral, cherry, and blueberry. Seamless on the palate, this is a forward Priorat for drinking over the next 8-10 years. It is also an excellent value for a wine from this increasingly expensive D.O. Wine Advocate # 175, Feb 2008

 

Vintage Priorat

2005 Bodegas Mas Alta La Creu Alta Priorat Price: $137.50    Sale $121.00

Vines that are more than 80 years old naturally produce less grapes. They are less dependent upon climate conditions thanks to their roots, which are plunged deep into the soil. They ripen slowly, but fully, and consistently… The ultimate, true, unequivocal expression of terroir.

2005 Roquers de Porrera Priorat Price: $56.25       Sale $49.50 Quantity in Stock: 13

 

Deep intense blackberry color. Blackberry, black cherry fruit on the nose complimented by aromas of broken stone, coco-powder, white pepper, fresh flowers and herbs, a unique bouquet that is distinctively Priorat. On the palate this wine has liqueur like concentration, filled with ripe black fruit, meaty/gamy notes, liquid minerals, spice, with big tannins but smooth around the edges- a real mouthful. I like my Priorat on the young side but you could keep this wine for 10 years easily. 14.5% Alcohol Finish 45 MOST EXCELLENT

2004 La Vinya Del Vuit Priorat Price: $98.75       Sale $86.90

In September, 2001, La Vinya del Vuit (the vineyard of the 8) was created in Gratallops by eight friends. Centered around the winemaking couple of Rene Barbier Jr. and Sara Perez, the group took advantage of the extremely old vines on these schist-filled hills to create this new and exciting enterprise. They currently produce only one bottling, and that singular wine in extremely limited quantity. Harvest is always by hand at this tiny estate and is carried out only in the early hours of the morning. The grapes are taken to the winery in small refrigerated trucks. There is an aggressive winery triage before a portion of the grapes are crushed. Fermentation starts naturally using only indigenous yeasts and may take up to a month in 500 liter, open-top tanks. The grapes are then crushed again before being racked (only by gravity) into French oak barrels for ageing.

2000 Planots Vi De Vinyes Velles Priorat  Price: $81.00       Sale $71.28

I usually like my Priorat wines in their first ten years of life but the last time we showed this wine it was outstanding.  A blend of old Vines Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon this wine is drinking at its peak and an excellent example of vintage Priorat!

Menu

Korean Style Bulgulgi Meatballs

Beef Sliders with cheddar cheese, bacon and special Sauce

Shrimp Wontons with Hoisin-Ginger Glaze

Goat Cheese Sundried tomato and Herb mousse on Crostini

 

A bit of info on the Priorat:

The first recorded evidence of grape growing and wine production dates from the 12th century, when the monks from the Carthusian Monastery of Scala Dei, founded in 1163, introduced the art of viticulture in the area. The prior of Scala Dei ruled as a feudal lord over seven villages in the area, which gave rise to the name Priorat. The monks tended the vineyards for centuries until 1835 when they were expropriated by the state, and distributed to smallholders.

At the end of the 19th century, the phylloxera pest devastated the vineyards causing economic ruin and large scale emigration of the population. Before the phylloxera struck, Priorat is supposed to have had around 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) of vineyards. It was not until the 1950s that replanting was undertaken. The DO Priorat was formally created in 1954. The seat of the DO's regulatory body was initially Reus, some 30km to the east of the wine-region, rather than in Priorat itself.

In the decade from 1985, the production of bulk wine was phased out and bottling of quality wine phased in.

Early on, winemaking cooperatives dominated. Much of the development of Priorat wines to top class is credited to René Barbier and Álvaro Palacios. Winemaker Barbier, then active at a winery in Rioja owned by the Palacios family, bought his first land for Priorat vineyards in 1979, convinced of the region's potential. At this stage, there were 600 hectares (1,500 acres) of Priorat vineyards. In the 1980s, he convinced others, including Palacios, to follow suit and plant new vineyards in suitable locations, all named Clos. For the first three vintages, 1989-1991, the group of five wineries pooled their grapes, shared a winery in Gratallops, and made one wine sold under five labels: Clos Mogador (Barbier), Clos Dofi (Palacios, later renamed to Finca Dofi), Clos Erasmus, Clos Martinet and Clos de l'Obac. From 1992, these wines were made separately. In 1993, Palacios produced a wine called L'Ermita sourced from very old Priorat vines, which led to an increased interest in using the region's existing vineyards to produce wines in a new style.

The Catalan authorities approved of Priorat's elevation from DO to DOQ status in 2000, but national level confirmation from the Spanish Government in Madrid only came on July 6, 2009. In the period from 2000 to 2009, when it was approved as DOQ but not yet as DOCa, despite the fact that these designations were exactly the same but in Catalan and Spanish, respectively, the situation was somewhat confused. A new set of DOQ rules were approved by the Catalan government in 2006. The regulatory body moved from Reus to Torroja del Priorat in 1999.

The vineyard surface of Priorat has been continuously expanding since the Clos-led quality revolution in the 1990s. At the turn of the millennium there was 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of vineyards, with an equal amount of planting rights secured. As of 2009, there are close to 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres).

 

 

Priorat wines available in the store:

 

In addition to all of the wines listed above that are available we also have a great selection of wines from the Priorat in the store.

Below is a list of everything that we currently have in stock from the Priorat.

 

2009 Mas D'En Compte Blanco Priorat Price: $30.00       Sale $26.40 Quantity in Stock: 4

(92 Points) The 2009 Blanco is a blend of 50% Garnacha Blanc from vines over 80 years of age, Xarel-lo, and Piquepoul aged for 6 months in French and American oak. Gold in color with a very perfumed nose of mineral, popcorn, baking spices, and melon, on the palate it is creamy-textured, rich, spicy, and very lengthy. This impeccably balanced white is likely to evolve for 2-3 years and drink well for a decade. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011

 

2002 Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi Priorat  Price: $82.50       Sale $72.60 Quantity in Stock: 3

We just showed this wine at our event with Alvaro at the Edge Steak and Bar on May 23rd, 2013 and it was drinking at its peak!

Black licorice spice and fresh plowed earth with that licorelle slate soils showing through, good richness still on the tongue with layers of fresh earth mineral and that slate like mineral, a very complex bouquet opening up quickly with a silky smooth palate and nice freshness still holding things together.  This wine is drinking at its peak right now and should be enjoyed soon if you have some but it has lovely balance and this could hold on for a few more years in your cellar if you like older wines.  Finish 40+  Excellent +

 

2008 Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi Priorat Price: $81.00       Sale $71.28 Quantity in Stock: 10

(93 points) The 2008 Finca Dofi, sourced from a relatively youthful single vineyard, is composed of 60% Garnacha with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot aged in 100% new French oak. Aromas of sandalwood, Asian spices, incense, and black cherry lead to a forward, sexy offering with plenty of spice and floral notes. This lengthy effort is one of those rarities than can be approached now but will drink well for another 20 years.

 Alvaro Palacios established his namesake winery in 1989. The flagship L’Ermita made its debut in 1993. Finca Dofi and L'Ermita vineyards are farmed biodynamically. All of the wines are bottled without filtration. In 2008 Palacios was the last grower in Priorat to harvest, waiting out rains that diluted other growers’ fruit. It appears that 2009 was a slightly more successful vintage for Alvaro Palacios (and most Priorat producers) than was 2008. All of the 2009s were tasted from barrel samples at the Bodega in January 2011.  Wine Advocate #194, May 2011

 

2008 Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita Priorat Price: $775.00    Sale $682.00 Quantity in Stock: 1

(96 points) The flagship, the 2008 L’Ermita, comes from a remarkably steep 4.4 acre, 70-year-old vineyard planted to 100% Garnacha and is aged in 100% new oak. It delivers a profound perfume of exotic spices, kinky wild berry aromas, incense, liquid minerality, black raspberry, and black cherry. In this vintage it is relatively forward with considerable elegance, a sophisticated personality, great depth and balance, and a pure, fruit-filled finish. It is one of the benchmark wines of the DO.

 Alvaro Palacios established his namesake winery in 1989. The flagship L’Ermita made its debut in 1993. Finca Dofi and L’Ermita vineyards are farmed biodynamically. All of the wines are bottled without filtration. In 2008 Palacios was the last grower in Priorat to harvest, waiting out rains that diluted other growers’ fruit. It appears that 2009 was a slightly more successful vintage for Alvaro Palacios (and most Priorat producers) than was 2008. All of the 2009s were tasted from barrel samples at the Bodega in January 2011.  Wine Advocate #194, May 2011

 

2009 Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita Priorat Price: $1051.75  Sale $925.54 Quantity in Stock: 2

(96 Points) The 2009 L’Ermita has a feminine, sensual bouquet laced with pure raspberry, creme de cassis, orange blossom and lavender aromas with a touch of Seville orange marmalade. The palate is full-bodied, with a gentle but insistent grip. It is bright and lively with precise tannins, the keen thread of acidity belying the potency on the precocious finish, which fans across the mouth like a roll of thunder. There are hints of white pepper and liquorice lingering on the aftertaste of this outstanding Priorat red. Drink 2017-2030.

 Visiting Alvaro Palacios was a must during my trip to Priorat, the dynamo and tour de force that has propelled Priorat to the forefront of the Spanish wine scene. The modern architecture of his hilltop winery lies in stark contrast to the nearby village Gratallops, where houses huddle as if sheltering from a raincloud that will never come. Indeed, as we parked the car, the village’s P.A. system was announcing that there would be no running water for the next two hours, indicating how precious a commodity water is. People suffer as well as vines. Since his debut in 1989, Alvaro’s wines have built a formidable reputation with prices to match. Fortunately, he pays as much attention to quality at the lower end of his range: a bottle bearing his name must meet his exacting standards. I listened as Alavaro expounded the greatness of Garnacha, convinced that the identity of Priorat lies in this grape variety and Carinena, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. A man of his word, he is therefore reducing the percentage of Cabernet in his flagship L’Ermita and it would not surprise me if it is phased out entirely in the future. Personally, I think an already great wine is greater for it. He also rhapsodized about his nascent 2010s, which he feels are not as heavy as his 2009s and constitute very enchanting wines, something I completely agree with. Most of these wines were tasted in Priorat, augmented by one or two tastings held in London. Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012 Reviewer: Neal Martin

 

2010 Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi Priorat Price: $81.00       Sale $71.28 Quantity in Stock: 11

(94 points) "Suave, highly perfumed nose offers fresh raspberry, minerals, candied flowers and Asian spices. Sappy and minerally, offering intense, spice-accented red fruit and floral pastille flavors with superb clarity. Wonderfully supple in texture, with outstanding finishing persistence and only a hint of sweet tannins." Stephen Tanzer IWC

 

2011 Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Priorat Price: $41.00       Sale $36.08 Quantity in Stock: 10

This is the newest release from the winery and the 2011 vintage looks to be a very good vintage in the Priorat. The temperatures in July were a bit lower than normal but August was quite hot making up for lost time and shortening the vineyard workers vacation time most wineries were harvesting at the end of August and had to do a selection in the fields to avoid over ripe grapes.

 

2005 Bodegas Mas Alta La Basseta Priorat Price: $87.50       Sale $77.00 Quantity in Stock: 4

La Basseta vintage is the result of a blend from several plots of carignan, grenache and cabernet. The vines vary in age from 15 – 100 years. Our selection criteria for producing this wine is based on successfully expressing the terroir combined with a sensation of finesse and indulgence.

Throughout the process of producing our vintages, we aim to obtain sensitive and complex wines. La Basseta is undoubtedly the most feminine wine in our range. The intensity of the fruit blended with a long and silky finish make for a feminine feel...

Selected by Michel Tardieu, our barrels originate from France’s most noble forests. Wines are matured for 14-18 months on fine lees enabling us to obtain the  quintessential expression of each vintage. A key stage in the wine-making process, maturing adds that vital touch of personality to a great wine.

 

2005 Bodegas Mas Alta La Creu Alta Priorat Price: $137.50    Sale $121.00 Quantity in Stock: 10

Vines that are more than 80 years old naturally produce less grapes. They are less dependent upon climate conditions thanks to their roots, which are plunged deep into the soil. They ripen slowly, but fully, and consistently… The ultimate, true, unequivocal expression of terroir.

Creu Alta is a blend of carignan (60%) and grenache (40%). The proportions vary a little from vintage to vintage. The grenache comes from vines that are 80 years old, and the carignan is harvested exclusively from hundred-year old vineyards. By selecting the best that Priorat has to offer, we hope to produce a unique wine that reflects its origins and the passion of the winegrowers who produce it.

Tasting a wine like Creu Alta is a way to experience a culture, to feel the passion and appreciate the labour of several generations, to experience the mysterious alchemy wrought by Nature. Being aware of this lets you grasp its meaning to the full…

 

2007 Clos Erasmus Laurel Priorat Price: $52.00       Sale $45.76 Quantity in Stock: 3

(94 Points) The 2007 Laurel, a blend of 65% Garnacha and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, is deep purple-colored with a bouquet of wet stone, Asian spices, black cherry compote, and incense. Dense and sweet on the palate with tons of spice, it is super-concentrated, rich, and smooth-textured. Give this lengthy effort 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2013 to 2027. Laurel is produced from the young vines of Clos Erasmus as well as from the results of a triage in the vineyard and cellar of the flagship wine.  Wine Advocate # 188 Apr 2010

 

 

2010 Clos Erasmus Laurel Priorat Price: $55.00       Sale $48.40 Quantity in Stock: 6

(90 points) The 2010 Laurel is a blend of 70% Garnacha, 20% Syrah and 5% Cabernet aged half in troconic, wooden Taransaud vats plus 2- to 4-year-old barrels and it is essentially the second wine of Clos Erasmus. The 2010 has a very ripe, glossy bouquet with macerated dark cherries, soy and violets. The palate is full-bodied with succulent tannins married with good acidity, and pure dark fruits laced with balsamic, orange rind and a touch of rosemary, with fine delineation on the sensual finish. Drink 2014-2022. Wine Advocate #200 Apr 2012

 

2010 Clos Erasmus Priorat Price: $207.00    Sale $182.16 Quantity in Stock: 6

 

(92 -94 points) The 2010 Clos Erasmus was made in the same way as the 2009, but in my opinion it already demonstrates more precision and terroir on the nose. There is tangibly great tension and poise here, with filigree tannins all the way to the finish. There is a sense of animation within the 2010 as well as impressive focus. This will turn out to be fresher and more poised than the “ribald†2009.  Wine Advocate #200, Apr 2012

 

2007 Clos Mogador Manyetes Priorat Price: $73.50       Sale $64.68 Quantity in Stock: 10

Manyetes is the name of a place in the village of Grattalops. With this Manyetes, Barbier has imposed a passionate challenge on this poor and too sunny soil, at the limit of the survival of the vines ... Only the influence of the Ebre river on the horizon, gives an occasional thin patch of moisture that allows the vines to survive. The result is a large concentration of the principal essence of Priorat. And in this corner close to suffocation, rises Rene Barbier, who resists an old barren and steep hillside, covered with slate and planted with Carignan. He wanted to bring some femininity with 25% of Grenache. The result is a surprising wine: the Carignan and Grenache combine to give the soil a mineral wine, feminine, pleasant and subtle ...

 

2004 La Vinya Del Vuit Priorat Price: $98.75       Sale $86.90 Quantity in Stock: 6

In September, 2001, La Vinya del Vuit (the vineyard of the 8) was created in Gratallops by eight friends. Centered around the winemaking couple of Rene Barbier Jr. and Sara Perez, the group took advantage of the extremely old vines on these schist-filled hills to create this new and exciting enterprise. They currently produce only one bottling, and that singular wine in extremely limited quantity. Harvest is always by hand at this tiny estate and is carried out only in the early hours of the morning. The grapes are taken to the winery in small refrigerated trucks. There is an aggressive winery triage before a portion of the grapes are crushed. Fermentation starts naturally using only indigenous yeasts and may take up to a month in 500 liter, open-top tanks. The grapes are then crushed again before being racked (only by gravity) into French oak barrels for ageing.

 

1999 Mas Doix Priorat Price: $180.00    Sale $158.40 Quantity in Stock: 6

 

2005 Mas Doix Priorat Price: $131.25    Sale $115.50 Quantity in Stock: 4

This exotic blend of the local favorites Grenache and Carignana is blended with a tiny bit of Merlot for a bit of an international flair, but this wine is unmistakably Priorat. Perfect weather throughout the growing season made Priorat's 2005 vintage OUTSTANDING. Many producers say it was the finest since 1998. There are only 700 cases of this wine brought into the U.S.  (98 Points) The 2005 Costers de Vinas Viejas is aged for 16 months in new French oak. The wine is a blend of 50% Carinena, 48% Garnacha, and 2% Merlot. Purple-colored, it has an other-worldly perfume of pain grille, grilled meat, spice cabinet, espresso, mineral, wild blueberry, and black cherry. This is followed by a powerful, masculine, intense Priorat with gobs of flavor, 8-10 years of cellaring potential, and a very long finish. It will be at its peak from 2018 to 2040. Wine Advocate # 175, Feb 2008

 

2005 Merum Ardiles Priorat Price: $47.50       Sale $41.80 Quantity in Stock: 1

 

(91 Points) The 2005 Ardiles is composed of 45% Garnacha, 34% Carinena, 18% Syrah, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark ruby-colored, it reveals an alluring bouquet of slate, mineral, cherry, and blueberry. Seamless on the palate, this is a forward Priorat for drinking over the next 8-10 years. It is also an excellent value for a wine from this increasingly expensive D.O. Wine Advocate # 175, Feb 2008

 

2000 Planots Vi De Vinyes Velles Priorat  Price: $81.00       Sale $71.28 Quantity in Stock: 6

 

2005 Roquers de Porrera Priorat Price: $56.25       Sale $49.50 Quantity in Stock: 13

 

Deep intense blackberry color. Blackberry, black cherry fruit on the nose complimented by aromas of broken stone, coco-powder, white pepper, fresh flowers and herbs, a unique bouquet that is distinctively Priorat. On the palate this wine has liqueur like concentration, filled with ripe black fruit, meaty/gamy notes, liquid minerals, spice, with big tannins but smooth around the edges- a real mouthful. I like my Priorat on the young side but you could keep this wine for 10 years easily. 14.5% Alcohol Finish 45 MOST EXCELLENT

 

2008 Terroir Al Limit Pedra De Guix Priorat Price: $64.50       Sale $56.76 Quantity in Stock: 3

(92 Points) The 2009 Pedra de Guix is the same blend also raised in 500-liter casks. It offers a bit more aromatic complexity with notes of dried pineapple, lychee, melon, and bee’s wax. More concentrated and with greater volume, the 2009 merits 2-3 years of cellaring and should drink well through 2019, if not longer. Terroir Al Limit is a true garage wine project focusing on the old vines around the village of Torroja. The philosophy of the estate is to capture the character of the terroir by minimizing the effect of winemaking to minimal processing and natural handling of the grapes. The vines are farmed biodynamically although they are not certified. There is one white wine in the portfolio, Pedra de Guix, made from a blend of Garnacha Blanca, Pedro Ximinez, and Macabeo. It is sourced from vines ranging in age from 48-78 years. The wine is aged for 24 months in 500-liter casks and bottled without fining or filtration. The red wines begin with the Vi de Vila cuvee consisting of equal parts Garnacha and Carinena aged for 24 months in 500-liter casks and foudres. The L’Arbossar vineyard cuvee (from 89-year-old vines) is 100% Carinena from a north facing site that is aged for 18 months in 18 HL foudres. The Dits del Terra vineyard cuvee (from 83-year-old vines) is 100% Carinena from a south facing site that is aged for 24 months in 18 HL foudres. The Les Manyes cuvee is 100% Garnacha from a 54-year-old vineyard that is aged for 24 months in 18 HL foudres. The Les Tosses cuvee is sourced from an 80-year-old Carinena vineyard that is aged for 24 months in 18 HL foudres. Wine Advocate #194, May 2011