2019 L`Expressió del Priorat

Priorat, as it is known in the local Catalan (Priorato in Castilian), is named after the priory established here in the hills above Tarragona in Cataluña in northeastern Spain by Carthusians who arrived from Provence in the 12th century.  Garnacha was the variety of choice in what were extensive vineyards until phylloxera arrived at the beginning of the 20th century. Thousands of hectares of vineyards and a flourishing industry had become just 600 hectares in a rugged, depopulated landscape by 1979 when René Barbier and four fellow enthusiasts arrived and applied modern winemaking techniques and the use of small French oak barrels to the best local fruit.

The most important natural element of Priorat is a very particular sort of schist, called Llicorella locally, which really does sparkle in the sunshine.  It is a relatively soft rock that has the great attribute of being both cool and damp enough to nourish deep-rooted vines in the particularly dry, Mediterranean summers of Priorat.  The finest Priorat vines tend to be on infertile hillsides facing north and east to avoid sunburn and catch breezes from the Mediterranean at altitudes around 500 m.  These very old vines yield juice as low as one bottle per bushvine producing very fine, concentrated, densely fruity wine.  The fruit for L’Expressió del Priorat is sourced from various parts of Priorat, where the native Garnacha and Carignano varieties thrive in the unique microclimate and Llicorella slate slopes. Long, warm, dry days and cool nights give perfect phenolic ripeness and good levels of natural acidity to balance the powerful character of the fruit.

This fabulous concentrated wine is powerful with a deep nose of blackberry fruit with a touch of flint. Juicy and intense with rounded tannins, good acidity, smooth, and a hint of herbs, spices, and black cherry on the long finish.