Priorat named wine region of the year bkwine magazine. The priorat region is a lesser known wine region of spain and this book provided the information and details i needed to plan my vacation. Newstyle reds are described as huge, serious and rich. Priorat has a long history in wine making, but the region was almost forgotten till a group of passionate wine makers decided to invest their time and efforts in this region. The 10 wine regions you need to know in catalonia, spain. Priorat wine region history and culture howstuffworks. Priorat is striking with its terraced vineyards, medieval villages, and rugged natural landscape. The doq priorat and do montsant are major players on the wine scene in catalonia and in europe. Famous wines of the priorat wine region howstuffworks.
During the middle ages the entire region was dominated by the carthusian monks at the monastery of scala dei, the prior of scala dei exercised his authority over 7 villages, hence the name priorat. In the decade from 1985, the production of bulk wine was phased out and bottling of quality wine phased in. The shocking force of spains priorat and montsant wines. In search of the best wines from priorat wine folly. Jul 07, 2012 in the torres vineyards in priorat, catalonia. A regional wine guide to catalonias priorat region including 114 wineries and 380 wines the clean, elemental yet sharp practicality of this guide is ingenious. Our experienced and knowledgeable guide will tell you a lot of interesting facts about catalan history, culture and traditions. Main reason for priorat wine quality and its somewhat brooding, aromatic and tannic bouquet is priorats geology. Of course, you could save some money and hire someone else to drive you around to wineries, but that person will not have nearly the depth of knowledge of the region, the wines, and the producers that miquel possesses. Priorat is the catalan word, the one that appears most often on wine labels, while the castilian equivalent is priorato.
Apr 04, 2011 but things happened much faster than that. In 2000, the catalan government promoted the priorat to a doq doc in spanish the top wine region grade rioja is the only other spanish region so honored. Apr 01, 2014 the priorat region is a lesser known wine region of spain and this book provided the information and details i needed to plan my vacation. Priorat the priorat wine regions is one of spains best. The doc priorat or wine appellation the doq priorat covers a small region of fewer than 20,000 hectares, of which only 1,600 hectares are planted with vines. While wine is thought to have been produced in the region since roman times, what we recognise as the more familiar style of. Sip your way around priorat, the exclusive catalan wine region that produces some of spains most expensive and delicious wine. Wine tour to priorat barcelona secrets private tour guide. Priorat refers to a specific region in spain and thus, priorat wine refers to wine from that region within spain.
I bought a copy before coming there and it is a fantastic book that can be briefly described as lonely planet for wine enthusiasts. With their vines withering and dying, the wine industry in the priorat almost disappeared entirely. Priorato, or priorat, is one of the standout spanish wine regions, with an extraordinary leap in wine quality, reputation and price over the 1990s. Buy miquels book he also wrote wine guides for emporda and montsant regions and book his wine tour. There, we could learn about the process of production of wine, the history of the winery and the qualified designation of origin for wine coming from the priorat region. Experienced a bit of a delay with the shipping but miquel could not have been more helpful in following through to make sure i received in time for my trip.
The first recorded evidence of grape growing and wine production dates from the 12th century, when the monks from the carthusian monastery of scala dei, founded in 1194, introduced the art of viticulture. By the time the state appropriated the monastery in 1835, the monks had covered the mountains with vineyards source. This was the first carthusian order founded in spain, and priorat owes its name to the monastery. This small wine appellation, with 1,700 hectares of vines and just over 60 bodegas, lies to the west of the province of tarragona in catalonia. Tarragona, located east of priorat, was the roman capital of tarraconense and allready the romans began making wine in the priorat area.
During the mid12th century, however, carthusian monks from france arrived in northern spain to spread christianity and set up the orders first spanish branch in the priorat region. Winemaking against all odds the region of priorat stretches over nearly 50,000 acres in the catalonian province of tarragona. You will enjoy a private tour at the perinet winery, an iconic address in the priorat, known for its highquality wines and excellent seasonal produce. Conversations with women winemakers in spains priorat region. Therefore, wines from this region, which can be concentrated and magnificent, are also quite costly. Discover 2 small producers with a local wine expert and taste fantastic red wines enjoy local gastronomy in one of the priorat. Llicorella is the priorat word for the slate soils that distinguish the priorat as a wine region. Mar 28, 2020 this comes as no surprise since he wrote a beautiful wine tourism guide for priorat and everybody knows him in this remote, quiet region in the hinterland of tarragona. A practical guide to the top regions and vintages around the world. The name, priorat has been linked to wine since ancient times.
Vinologue priorat 1st edition was a finalist for best wine book in the world from the gourmand award. Somewhere in between those definitions are the best traditionalstyle wines source. Priorats relatively recent rise to fame and glory belies the regions long history of winemaking. Priorat wineries tour from barcelona, including wine tastings. The classic grape from the region is garnacha tinta also called grenache. Gratallops the heart of the priorat wine region monthly. The blend of tradition and modernity, nature and agriculture, depth and crispness, give their villages and their wines made primarily from the grenache and carignan grape. This is the most plausible origin for the word because celtic people occupied the. Mar 14, 2018 while there are only two spanish wine regions with the exalted quality do certification, its spanish wine juggernaut, rioja that generally takes the majority of the spotlight from the much smaller priorat. The landscape is abrupt and challenging, or in the words of the catalan writer, josep pla, cataclismatic. Speaking in the 2016 documentary priorat, winemaker rene barbier says.
It was not until the 1950s that replanting was undertaken. Discovering the wonderful wines of spains priorat wine region. The region has a record for winemaking since the creation of the cartoixa descaladei priory in 1163 escaladei means ladder to god in latin. Apr 11, 2016 priorat had all but disappeared as winegrowing region by the mid1970s, due to fascist dictator fancisco francos subsistencebased agricultural policy and the remoteness of the region. History of priorat the wine district has two thousand years of history. The priorat today is one of the worlds most prestigious wine regions.
This rebirth was led by a catalan winemaker, rene barbier, who understood the regions unique slate soils, locally known as llicorella see photo, and the intense, fullbodied red wines they could produce. Sep 07, 2017 priorat refers to a specific region in spain and thus, priorat wine refers to wine from that region within spain. The scenery in fact resembles the douro valley for its steep terraced vineyards. Oldstyle typically defines heavy, overly alcoholic and oxidated red wine. While there are only two spanish wine regions with the exalted quality do certification, its spanish wine juggernaut, rioja that generally takes the majority of the spotlight from the much smaller priorat. The fruit of common labours priorat by car do montsant 73. The regions soil, climate, the lay of the land and the hard work of the men and women who have made wine using traditional methods, now helped by new technology adapted to current needs for quality, have all resulted in a unique and exclusive product. Priorat is a small, dynamic wine region in catalonia, northeastern spain, whose intense, fullbodied red wines have shot to fame in the past few decades. This was originally a sleeper region that made some excellent wines but was relatively unknown until well known critics such as rober.
The monks controlled the local economy and all cultivations. This is the most plausible origin for the word because celtic people occupied the territory in 1500 bce. The priorat has quite recently experienced a significant reawakening as a wine region. Winemaking dates back at least as far as the 12th century, when monks of the carthusian order established a the priorato dei scala dei monastery and planted vineyards there. And few wines have a story as fascinating as those produced in the world famous region of priorat, in catalonia. Priorat is an agricultural region with great history and wealth. The cartoixa carthusian monastery of scala dei represents the. The arid region receives a small amount of rainfall, making yields low compared to the rest of the country. The classic priorat wine is made from oldvine garnacha and carinena, and has concentrated aromas of licorice, tar and brandied cherries. Vinologue priorat is a twin brother book to vinologue montsant by the same author, miquel hudin. Tiny and entirely composed of craggy, jagged and deeply terraced vineyards, priorat is a catalan wineproducing region that was virtually abandoned until the early 1990s. Why you should find these ten enchanting wines from priorat. Our exclusive private wine tour to priorat from barcelona is a perfect chance to discover all the secrets of priorat winemaking, taste some awardwinning wines and enjoy the regions beautiful landscape and villages.
There are many different ideas about the meaning of the word, but etymologically it likely comes from the celtic word likka, which means stone. Its renaissance came with the arrival of one man, rene barbier, who recognized the regions forgotten potential. As priorat is better known to the wine lovers around the world, this book is somewhat fatter than montsant treatise. Priorat wineries tour from barcelona, including wine. What makes the superpremium wine region of priorat stand out aesthetically in spain is the vineyards are located within a pristinely beautiful national park. The carthusian monks brought from provence in the 12th century the knowledge and techniques to develop a winegrowing culture that established itself firmly and has evolved over the centuries. Priorat had all but disappeared as winegrowing region by the mid1970s, due to fascist dictator fancisco francos subsistencebased agricultural policy and the remoteness of the region. Priorat is one of 43 wine regions i wrote about in my upcoming book 43 wine regions. Researching this book involved a lot of data analysis to understand each region, along with traveling to each wineproducing region to meet every producer i could. The seat of the dos regulatory body was initially reus, some 30 km to the east of the wineregion, rather than in priorat itself. The scenery is matched only by the worldclass wines that emerge from vineyards that produce incredibly small amounts of grapes and in doing so make incredibly elegant, nuanced wines. The peculiar characteristics of these wines are due to the slanted terraces in which the vines are grown and can be seen on both sides of this wine route.
Inspired by french quality winemaking and the dramatic nature of priorats vineyards, a handful of winemakers decided to reclaim priorat for quality wine. Feb 02, 2016 priorat is a small, dynamic wine region in catalonia, northeastern spain, whose intense, fullbodied red wines have shot to fame in the past few decades. With a local guide at your side, learn what makes the wine so special and, of course, sample some of the regions wares. The vineyards grow near the olive trees and the colors of the landscape are unusual and spectacular. Miquel is an encyclopedia of knowledge about priorat he. So wine has been produced in the area called priorat today for a period of at least 2000 years. The carthusians lands made up the historic priorat area which today forms the doq priorat wine region. Civil war the history of the twentieth century brings the cooperatives inspired by the goverment of catalonia, which return the illusion of progress and dignity to the peasants.