2018 Terroir Al Limit Dits del Terra Rouge Priorat

Southern-facing vineyards in the sun-baked slate hills of Priorat and 60+ year old carignan vines are not usually harbingers of floral elegance and silken grace. And yet this gap between expectation and stunning creation is precisely what makes Dits de Terra so iconic. The vineyard, one of the original Terroir Al Limit holdings, honors the Cyprus trees that shade the historic Ermitas throughout the region. It is crafted using whole bunch fermentation and initial vinification in cement, then afforded a rare gift: time, in the form of 16 months in Stockinger foudres and cement, with a gentle and unobtrusive elevage.

This care and attention elevates it into a fine, complex and fluid expression of different terroirs. The dark depths in the glass belie its ephemeral lightness in aroma and flavor. Breathy black fruits and a persistent herbality enhance the supple spice and suspended movement across the palate. Anise, fresh fennel and rose notes are underscored with a fluid web of balsamic accents - never weighty nor wide. The wine exudes gravitas with the elegant confidence that comes only from complete comfort in one’s own skin.