Most of the wine made in Priorat is excellent in quality; however, only a handful of producers make wines that are truly age-worthy and collectible. The producers that receive the highest scores from critics include: Alvaro Palacios. Clos Mogador.
What is Priorat wine?
Priorat is a small wine region in Catalonia known for its intensely-flavored red wines. An area with a long history, Priorat’s difficult mountainside location kept the region fairly obscure until just a few decades ago; now, it produces some of the most acclaimed wines in Spain.
How many wineries are in Priorat?
109
Priorat (DOQ)
| Wine region | |
|---|---|
| Priorat DOQ in the province of Tarragona in the region of Catalonia | |
| No. of vineyards | 567 |
| Grapes produced | 4.8 tn |
| No. of wineries | 109 |
What do you eat with Priorat wine?
Food Pairing Grilled meats or vegetables, something that will stand up to the tannins in the wine is key here. Avoid chili heat, as alcohol content enhances these flavours.
When did Priorat become a DOCA?
While the government had made Priorat an official D.O. (Spanish official wine appellation) in 1954 it wasn’t until 1989 (with less than 1500 acres of vineyards), that things started to change.
How far is Priorat from Barcelona?
The distance between Barcelona and Priorat is 117 km. The road distance is 137.2 km.
What grapes are grown in Priorat?
The vineyard plantings in Priorat are approximately 39% Garnacha (Grenache), 27% Cariñena (Carignan), 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, and 6% Merlot. The blend of each Priorat red varies depending on the producer. The dominant vineyard plantings in Priorat are Garnacha (aka Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan).
Are there vineyards in Spain?
Spain’s long been a prolific wine-producing country—in fact, it has the world’s highest amount of vineyard area at 2.4 million acres.
What kind of wine is Priorat?
Priorat Wine. Priorat is a small, dynamic wine region in Catalonia, north-eastern Spain, whose intense, full-bodied red wines have shot to fame in the past few decades.
When did Priorat become a village wine in Spain?
Since then, conditions have steadily improved. Priorat achieved its qualified appellation status (DOQ) in 2000 (preceded by Rioja in 1991) and was the first region to introduce village wines in Spain in the 2007 vintage.
What type of soil do Priorat wineries use?
Soil is of paramount importance to Priorat winemakers. The region’s flagship soil type is llicorella, a free-draining, nutrient-poor soil made up of partially-decomposed slate and quartz (‘llicorella’ is the Catalan name for slate).
What does DOQ Priorat’s new classification mean for Spanish wine?
Called Els noms de la terra (The Names of the Land), DOQ Priorat’s new classification is the most ambitious ever carried out by any Spanish wine producing region alongside Bierzo in Castilla y León. It strengthens the Burgundy-inspired model in Spain as opposed to Rioja’s traditional classification based on oak ageing times.
