At the table with Les Tosses 2021
Lacquered duck, roast milk-fed lamb, pink veal fillet, roast pigeon with ceps, lièvre à la royale.
Our wines for
Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Les Tosses 2021Terroir Al Limit
Les Tosses is a grand cru located on the arid, sun-scorched hills of Torroja, at the heart of Priorat, in Catalonia. This century-old Carignan grows at around 600 metres above sea level on schist soils, on steep terraces with tiny yields. The dry Mediterranean climate and the altitude shape a wine of raw power, tempered by lively, taut acidity.
The grapes are harvested by hand and then macerate as whole bunches in truncated-cone vats, with slow fermentations and gentle extraction. The wine is then aged for eight months in cement vats, without oak, with a production of just a few thousand bottles.
This wine reveals notes of forest fruits, blackberry, flowers, earth, bark, pine needles, graphite, black pepper. The opulent aromas intertwine in an almost black glass. Behind a first impression of strength lies an austere elegance, carried by lively acidity; the minerality of the schist expresses itself intensely through to a long finish.
Where are we traveling?
PrioratSpain
It lies in the hinterland of Tarragona, in Catalonia, some hundred kilometres south-west of Barcelona, nestled in a natural amphitheatre of steep hills and deep valleys. The vineyard unfolds across dizzying slopes, sometimes inclined at more than 45 degrees, between 100 and 700 metres above sea level, in a spectacular landscape of narrow terraces clinging to the mountain. Its winemaking history goes back to the 12th century, when Carthusian monks founded the priory of Scala Dei and planted the first vines, giving the region its name. After centuries of prosperity, phylloxera and rural exodus emptied the Priorat of its winegrowers, until a handful of visionary pioneers — René Barbier, Álvaro Palacios, Daphne Glorian and a few others — rediscovered in the 1990s the extraordinary potential of these unique llicorella soils, a black, shiny slaty schist that forces the roots to dig deep and gives the wines an intense, dark minerality. The climate is continental Mediterranean, hot and dry, tempered by the Catalan mistral — the cerç — which sweeps through the vines, and by the cool nights that come with altitude, giving the grapes slow ripening and remarkable balance. Priorat is one of only two Spanish appellations to hold DOCa status, on a par with Rioja, and has made its name with monumental, deep reds from Garnacha and Cariñena, often from century-old vines with tiny yields, complemented by ambitious cuvées including Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and a handful of rare, mineral whites from Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu, testament to an extreme terroir that produces some of the most intense and moving wines in the entire Mediterranean.
The little history of the country
Spain
The history of wine in Spain is so ancient that no one really knows who first brought the vines to the region. By the time the Phoenicians arrived some 3,000 years ago and founded the present-day cities of Cádiz and Jerez, viticulture was already well established, and Spanish wines were widely traded throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa. You could say that Spain is a winemaking miracle. After years on the sidelines of the world of fine wines, it is now a major player. Investment and ambition in vineyards and wineries are resulting in increasingly rich, complex (often high in alcohol), and spicy reds that are gaining popularity with international consumers. Proud to have more land dedicated to vines than any other country, Spain is only now beginning to capitalize on this resource in a consistent way. Spain is a chaotic jumble of regions and subregions, much like its landscape is a chaotic jumble of incredibly rugged scenery. A glance at a map reveals the climatic diversity among Spain's many wine regions, from the lush, green vineyards of Galicia on the northern Atlantic coast to the parched vineyards of the southeastern Mediterranean. Spain's saving grace for viticulture is the average altitude of its vineyards, which is over 600 meters. Many Spanish vineyards are thus able to produce grapes with good color and acidity simply because nighttime temperatures are relatively low and the grapes don't ripen until after a sufficiently long growing season. But there is a real treasure trove to be found for those willing to dig, and now that a class of connoisseurs has developed in Spain, all sorts of ambitious investors have done their part to change the image of Spanish wine. Today, a new generation of winemakers has quietly begun to craft spectacular wines and experiment with grape varieties that would have been unthinkable not so long ago. Wine remains an important commodity and an integral part of Spanish culture.
All about Les Tosses 2021
At what temperature should Les Tosses 2021 be served?
Between 16 and 18 °C. An hour in a decanter helps it open up.
How long can Les Tosses 2021 be kept?
Ageing potential: 10 years or more, until at least 2031. Store the bottle lying down, away from light, at around 12 °C.
Which grapes make up Les Tosses 2021?
Grapes: 100% Carignan. Origin: Priorat, Spain. Alcohol: 13.5%.
What to serve with Les Tosses 2021?
Les Tosses 2021 pairs well with lamb, game and white meat. Our dish ideas are in the food pairing box at the top of the page.