Spain’s Priorat Wine Region at the Foot of “God’s Ladder”
A Wine Lover’s Favorite
I was fortunate to have my third visit this June to one of my favorite wine regions of the world: Spain’s Priorat region. The Priorat wine region is located just two hours southwest of Barcelona and sits at the foot of the magnificent Montsant Mountains (Serra de Montsant means “Holy Mountain Range.”) The wines of Priorat are considered some of the world’s finest. The landscape begs for a leisurely hike from village to vineyard on the well-marked trails. Eleven charming villages dot the landscape and remind you of the picturesque Tuscan hilltop towns of Italy. The history of the Priorat’s founding monks is deep and the surroundings reflect the turbulent and formative epochs: medieval feudal lords, Moorish invasion, Spanish civil war, and modern winemaking pioneers. Follow me into the Priorat countryside and we will discover several of its most distinctive wineries: Perinet, Scala Dei, and Torres Priorat with lunch at the Clos Figueras Winery and Restaurant.
Priorat History and Vineyards
The Priorat region is named for its monastery, or priory. In the 12th century Carthusian monks chose this quiet, high mountain range location as a place that seemed to be closer to God. The monks named their monastery Scala Dei – or “God’s ladder.” Additionally, the monks founded the winemaking tradition of the region. Thirty years ago the world rediscovered the quality of the wines of this DO/Designated Appellation region after centuries of obscurity. The unique terroir* and characteristics of the area encompass vineyards planted in “llicorella” slate volcanic black soil where the mountainsides are steep and the climate is arid. These factors of the terroir force the taproots of the vines to extend as far as 80 feet down into the mountainside, thus creating highly concentrated berries, and deep, extracted Garnacha grape juices.
The Priorat is one of only 2 DOQ’s (Denominació d’Origen Qualificada) or “Quality Wine Designation” areas in Spain. Rioja is the other. Many of the Priorat wines are highly rated by the famous critic Jancis Robinson, and the experts at Wine Spectator. Red, white, rosata (rosé), and fortified wines are made in this region, but the red blends of Garnacha, Cabernet, Cariñena, and Syrah dominate the wine scene. Eighty percent of the wines made in this region are exported to other countries, mostly the USA and UK.
Cellars Scala Dei
What a spectacular visit and tour! I was fortunate to be able to ride in a very sturdy jeep up the rugged Montsant Mountains and into the vineyards of Scala Dei with Paul Kendall, Head of Wine Tourism at Cellers de Scala Dei. The steep hills and breathtaking views allowed me to understand the distinct vineyard sites and understand how each could result in a different terroir-driven expression in a single vineyard-designated wine.
Scala Dei is the oldest and most historic winery in the Priorat region. In 1163 Carthusian monks established the site. After years of neglect and mass emigration from the region, five families acquired the properties in the 1800’s and set up the Societat Agricola l’Unió agricultural society. They bottled their first Priorat wine in 1878 and presented it at the Paris World’s Fair Exposition. The company was re-founded in 1974, once again resulting in the first modern wines bottled in the region.
The Scala Dei estate offers three levels of wine tasting tours, ranging from a traditional three-wine sample to an extensive tour of the historic property. They also offer a full range of wine tasting to corporate events with a range of custom activities.
Mas Perinet Winery
The Mas Perinet winery sits on the mountainside next to its magnificent, steep vineyards. Its modern tasting room design is welcoming and accommodates a wide choice of wine tasting experiences. The state-of-the-art winery was completed in 2004 and features an exquisite Gaudi-inspired barrel room designed to function both as a barrel cellar and an entertainment venue. Perinet sits on 133 acres with 54 of those acres planted to local varietals of Carignan and Grenache/Garnacha along with Cabernet Sauvignon, and augmented with the international varietal grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. Vintner Robin Baggett, managing partner of Alpha Omega winery in Napa Valley and Tolosa wineries, acquired Perinet Winery several years ago.
We were fortunate to experience the “Breakfast in the Vineyard,” at Perinet several years ago. It was a morning wine tasting pairing Perinet wines with fresh pastries and Spanish locally cured meats. Perinet also offers wine experiences ranging from the traditional winery-based tasting to custom group tours scaling the mountainside vineyards and seeing up-close the wine-making process in action. Mas Perinet has a USA wine Club and also ships directly to the UK.
Torres Priorat
Torres Priorat is one of the newer, exciting ultra-modern wineries in the region. The Miguel Torres wine empire encompasses some of the largest Spanish fine-wine holdings, Chilean Central Valley wines, and Miramar Estates in Sonoma, California. Torres is also Spain's largest producer of DO wines (fine, appellation-specific wines) under its own label, exporting to more than 140 countries.
I was fortunate to have a wine-pairing lunch with Miguel Torres Maczassek, a fifth-generation Torres, at the Torres Group Headquarters in Penedes this June as reported in Wine Wanderings last month, “Familia Torres: Wine Dynasty – Interview with Miguel Torres, GM.,” The World’s Most Admired Wine Brand. Miguel Torres says he “feels at home in the Catalan hillsides.” The Priorat wines like Salmos and Perpetual (See Below) were some of my favorites of the tasting at Torres headquarters.
According to Miguel, some of the focus of the Torres Group is “Climate change affecting vineyards … discovery of indigenous “new” Spanish grapes in Torre’s genetic laboratories … and understanding and appealing to the new wine consumers.” The Torres attention on both new technologies and traditional methods is a winning combination.
Discovering Priorat: How to Get There
Priorat is anticipating a rise is tourism and increased economic development. While this growth and interest is welcomed, the region is trying to preserve the environment, its history, and its traditions. Priorat’s transformation from a sleepy, back-roads wine region to one of the world’s premier viticulture destinations is stunning. With a plethora of first-quality wines to enjoy and a breathtaking, but rugged terrain to hike, the active wine connoisseur and trekker alike will enjoy Priorat. Take a day trip from Barcelona to this magical wine region and you can experience a scenic wine adventure beyond the normal city sightseeing excursion.
The Priorat region is accessed from an easy 1½ hour train ride from Barcelona train stations, arriving in Marçà Falset or Reus stations, or by arranging private transportation with tour guides. Thank you to Clos Figueras for your warm hospitality, lunch, and wine tasting.
Priorat wine tourism: http://www.turismepriorat.org/en/wine-route
*What is Terroir? “Terroir” is a French term representing the special combination of climate, soil, geography, elevation, and growing conditions that are unique to a vineyard or viticulture region. Does this wine express the aromas, body, and flavor of its terroir? Does it have a “sense of place”? The good ones often do.
Winery Tours and Tastings:
Mas Perinet: https://www.perinetwinery.com/tours-tastings
Email: perinet@perinetwinery.com
Tel: 0034 977 827 113
Cellars Scala Dei:
http://www.cellersdescaladei.com/
T. +34 977 82 70 27 (Celler) / 977 82 71 73 (Shop-Visits)
Torres Priorat: Visit Torres wineries
To visit: https://www.torres.es/en/experiences/priorat/familia-torres-priorat
Clos Figueras Winery and Restaurant: enoturisme@closfigueras.com T: 627 471 732
Priorat Wine Recommendations
Scala Dei Cartoixa Priorat, 2017, $28
Jancis Robinson, 17 of 20 Points
Perinet Merit Priorat 2016, $29
Wine Enthusiast, 92 Point
Torres Priorat Salmos 2017, $40
Wine Spectator, 92 Points
Torres Perpetual 2017, $49
Decanter, 90 Points
Clos Figueras Priorat 2017, $62
Guia Penin, 95 points
Housekeeping: I am taking a PTO break from Wine Wanderings on August 27 and Sept 27 to attend family events. On those Tuesdays you will see instead two of the “Greatest Hits” newsletters that garnered some of the most comments and publicity. TC
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Hi Janis, you are welcome. One of my favorite places to visit. I will bet it is hot there today! Tricia
Tricia, thank you for the mini tour of the Priorat. Love the photos.