2022 Clos Erasmus Laurel Priorat Magnum

(95 Points) The 2022 Laurel has the grapes from the younger vines but still not the ones from Manyetes that will contribute to this wine in 2023 for the first time. This is quite aromatic, young tender and peachy, attractive. She finds this to be a classical vintage, balanced and ripe without excess, and the tannins are polished and elegant. In 2022, they used a little less Cabernet, so the wine is mostly Garnacha, with almost 20% Syrah and perhaps 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. It matured mostly in concrete, oak vats and some 30 barrels, but some 20% of the volume matured in amphorae. She's not crazy about amphorae; she finds that they close the wines. It's medium-bodied, has a fine texture and feels elegant and light with a lot of finesse. She doesn't want too long macerations with the grapes from the younger vines, but it has clout. It comes in at 15% alcohol, has very fine tannins and comes through as balanced and civilized, quite approachable already with mellow acidity.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate