Wine tourism in Spain has been advancing steadily, and with good reason. The wines are wonderful, the regions varied, and the prices reasonable.
As readers know, we’re big fans of Spanish wine. And one of our all-time favorite regions to visit is hilly Priorat. Located about two hours Southwest of Barcelona in fiercely independent Catalonia (Catalunya), Priorat is one of Spain’s most renowned wine regions and one of only two with the highest DOCa designation (the other is Rioja). The winemaking dates back to at least the 12th Century from the monks who founded the area and brought their winemaking skills with them.
The region produces a variety of grapes and is known for its big reds. The two most common varietals are Garnacha (Garnatxa in Catalan) and Carinena/Carinyena (Carignan). Some wineries use the Spanish names for the varietals, and others use the Catalan.
The area became pretty quiet in the 20th Century but had a reawakening in the 1980s. We were told that there are now about 100-130 wineries in the region. They are mainly family-owned, producing artisanal wines of very high quality. Since the region is farther from Barcelona and more rural, it’s not touristy. All of our winery experiences in the region have been highly personal and private.
There's a specific wine classification system in Priorat:
· DOQ Priorat (the lowest)
· Vi de Vila
· Vi de Paratge
· Vinya Classificada
· Gran Vinya Classificada (very few wines meet this highest classification)
Only a few tour companies offer day trips to Priorat, but we didn't have to look for one. We had such a great experience the last time we were in Priorat several years ago on a tour with Spanish Trails that we booked again with that company. It did not disappoint.
Right before we reached our first winery, we stopped in the tiny town of Cornudella so our guide Anthony (who was wonderful) could pick up some food to accompany our tasting. The picturesque village is quintessential Europe: one tiny square populated by elderly gents scoping out the goings-on; women shopping with baskets on their arms. The Catalan flag was prominently displayed throughout.
Celler Pasanau
The first winery we visited was Celler Pasanau, in the village of Morera de Montsant and one of our favorites. It’s a small, family winery cultivating wine in Priorat for centuries and the highest elevation winery in Priorat. We walked down with Valerie, wife of the owner (okay, it was more of a hike) through lavender, rosemary, juniper, and thyme into the vineyards to learn more about the wines.
We then proceeded back to the tiny tasting room/production area to sample the wines, along with the cheeses, crackers, charcuterie, and olives we had purchased in Cornudella.
We tasted:
Les Myriams, a Viognier 😊++
Ceps Nous, a red blend 😊😊
La Morera de Monstat, a blend of Garnacha and Merlot 😊😊+
Poboleda Vide Vila, a Syrah 😊😊
Los Torrents, a blend of Garnacha and Carignan 😊😊
Finca La Planeta, a blend with Cabernet Sauvignon 😊😊+
Vell Coster, 90% Carignan, 10% Garnacha, from 70-year-old vines 😊😊++
An older, 2014 Finca La Planeta, harsher 😊+
Clos Figueras
The second winery we visited, Clos Figueras in the village of Gratallops (“scratching wolves”) is another winery we appreciated the last time we were in Priorat. Also a family-owned winery, it additionally runs a restaurant and a small B&B. After a tour of the production facilities with Jessica, we sat down to a hearty lunch that included three types of pates, patatas, salad, the local sausage, soft cheese with honey and local nuts, and tiramisu, all paired with the wines.
We sampled:
Serras Del Priorat Blanc, a white Garnatxa 😊++
Font De La Figuera Blanc, 75% white Garnatxa with Viognier and Chenin Blanc 😊😊
Serras Del Priorat, a blend of Garnatxa, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon😊😊
Font Del La Figuera, a blend of Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon 😊++
Clos Figueres, a blend of Garnatxa and Carinyena, from vines 60-80 years old 😊😊
Celler Devinssi
The third winery we visited was Celler Devinssi, also located in Gratallops. But our tasting was held in the vineyards. We drove to a field and were met by Jordi in a four-wheel drive vehicle to reach high into the hills for one of the most scenic wine tastings. Devinssi, (in Catalan, “de vins si” means “about wines, yes”) another small artisan producer, is one of the newer wineries in Priorat, with its first harvest in 2003.
We tasted, from Jordi’s “magic box” of wine:
Mas De Les Valles, a red blend 😊😊
Il-Lia, a more complex red blend 😊😊+
Rocapoll, Carignan from 105-year-old vines 😊😊
So if you love wine, you’ve got to go to Priorat! Believe me, it’s worth the trip. Salut i força al canut! (to good health and strength to your purse, in Catalan).
Do you have any additional wineries in Priorat you recommend we visit? Let us know! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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