Bottler: Portal del Priorat, C. de la Font n. 9, 43737 Gratallops / Spain
In the glass
Colour
Luminous, slightly translucent ruby red.
Nose
Clear and refined bouquet with nuances of dark berries, subtle smoke, damp earth, sweetish spice and a distinctive stony note.
Palate
Juicy and agile on the palate, with notes of liquorice, a touch of pepper and savoury meat extract, supported by pleasantly grippy, slightly rustic tannins.
Character
Lively, fluid and clearly structured – a red wine that, despite its power, possesses a lightness and freshness rarely found in Priorat.
Pairing
Outstanding with braised lamb with Mediterranean herbs, hearty game dishes or mature hard cheeses.
Notes
The grapes grow on barren, black Llicorella slate at altitudes of 450 to 500 metres, partly from old vines. Gentle spontaneous fermentation and careful ageing in foudres and used French oak barrels preserve the pure origin without any dominating wood influence.
Tasting note
Colour & Appearance
A luminous, invitingly slightly transparent ruby red presents itself in the glass.
Nose
On the nose, the wine presents itself as pleasantly focused and clear. It is noticeably less dominated by wood than in previous years. Instead, it offers delicate aromas of dark forest berries, smoky earth, wet stone and a fine, herbal spice.
Palate
This straightforward impression continues on the palate. The wine is ripe and juicy, yet eschews heavy concentration. It feels incredibly agile and lively. A distinctive note of liquorice and some black pepper combines with dark fruit and savoury, meaty nuances. The whole experience is supported by a pleasantly grippy, slightly rustic tannin.
Terroir & Origin
This estate wine unites the various vineyard sites of the Clos del Portal winery in the south of the Priorat, near El Lloar and Bellmunt. The vines grow at an altitude of 450 to 500 metres and are rooted in the barren, black Llicorella slate, which is interspersed with other soil components. The vines are between 20 and 65 years old; the younger plants were propagated via a sélection massale from the ancient stocks.
Grape Variety & Vinification
A blend of Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon. Following the selective harvest between September and October and subsequent destemming, spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts took place in wooden and stainless steel tanks. Ageing was carried out over 15 months in foudres and French wooden barrels, with no new oak being used.
Food Pairings
Excellent with hearty braised dishes such as braised leg of lamb with rosemary, juicy beef goulash or a classic wild mushroom stir-fry with thyme.
Special Features
A wonderful example of the modern, elegant style of the Priorat. Alfredo Arribas focuses on earlier harvesting and extremely reduced yields of only about one kilogram per vine. The result is a wine that, despite its 14.0% abv, possesses a remarkable lightness and freshness, perfectly conveying the barren slate soil.
EN 
DE 
FR 
IT 
