Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Born from the unique terroir of Priorat, Catalonia, this wine originates on the steep slopes of the Serra de Montsant, around the village of La Figuera. The vines, planted at high altitude on poor soils combining red clays, limestones, and schists, benefit from a Mediterranean climate tempered by mountain influence. This mosaic of old parcels, farmed with respect for the environment, offers naturally low yields and great concentration. The landscape, made up of terraces and old bush vines, shapes the deep identity of this cuvée.
Made from old Grenache vines cultivated biodynamically, this red wine is produced from carefully sorted manual harvests. The grapes are gently destemmed to preserve the integrity of the berries, then fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, favoring delicate extractions to respect the terroir of the Serra de Montsant. Aging then occurs in oak barrels of different volumes and in tanks, to preserve the purity of the fruit and the fineness of the texture.
This wine reveals notes of ripe red fruits, juicy black fruits, and violet, enhanced by touches of sweet spices, pepper, and subtle mineral nuances from the mountain soils. Delicate accents of garrigue and very discreet oak complete the bouquet. On the palate, the texture is ample and silky, supported by a fresh acidity and fine tannins, with a long and harmonious finish that retains much vibrancy.
Where are we traveling?
Priorat
It is located in the hinterland of Tarragona, Catalonia, about one hundred kilometers southwest of Barcelona, nestled in a natural amphitheater of steep hills and deep valleys. The vineyard unfolds on dizzying slopes, sometimes at more than 45 degrees of inclination, between 100 and 700 meters above sea level, in a spectacular landscape of narrow terraces clinging to the mountain. The viticultural history dates back to the 12th century, when Carthusian monks founded the Scala Dei priory and planted the first vines, giving the region its name. After centuries of prosperity, phylloxera and rural depopulation emptied Priorat of its winemakers, 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 and shiny slate schist that forces the roots to plunge deep and gives the wines an intense and 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 nocturnal coolness linked to the altitude, offering the grapes slow maturation and remarkable balance. Priorat is one of only two Spanish appellations to hold DOCa status, on par with Rioja, and has established itself thanks to its monumental and deep red wines made from Garnacha and Cariñena, often from centuries-old vines with tiny yields, complemented by ambitious cuvées incorporating Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and a handful of rare and mineral white wines from Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu, testifying 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.