Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes by Álvaro Palacios, 2018, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain

Our View:

From Alvaro Palacios, one of Spain's most famous and influential winemakers, this Grenache/Carinena blend from the iconic Priorat region is fruit driven, silky and powerful.

Delicious on it’s own and even better with food.

The Wine:

Álvaro Palacios is one of a group of winemakers credited with putting Priorat back on the viticultural map. In the 1980's, after studying winemaking in Bordeaux and a subsequent stint working at Château Petrus, Álvaro decided not to return to his family winery in Rioja. Instead, he followed a group of intrepid winemakers, including René Barbier, to the region of Priorat. 

Álvaro's work on redefining the Priorat classification has been very important in helping to elevate individual villages and vineyards in this region. The focus now is very much on grapes such as Garnacha and Cariñena (locally known as Samsó), both much better suited to expressing the characteristics of this rugged terroir and its licorella soils. Álvaro's Priorat wines are elegant, always profoundly layered, mineral, and expressive. 

The destemmed grapes were fermented in concrete and oak vats using local to the region yeasts. The wine was then matured in barriques for 13 months prior to bottling. 

Tasting Note:

Les Terrasses is made of almost equal proportions of old vine Garnacha and Carignan. On the nose, enjoy aromas of exotic dark fruits including bright cherry and plum. It is a supple and polished red wine with flavours of sweet red fruits, soft spices as well as hints of coffee and chocolate.(Organic). 

The Facts:

What the critics say:

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 94 points

“The 2018 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes is a blend of 55% Garnacha with 44% Cariñena and 1% white grapes. The destemmed and lightly crushed grapes fermented in concrete and oak vats with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured in barriques for 13 months. It keeps the more rustic side of their wines but with the finesse of 2018. It's a wine marked by a high percentage of Cariñena, but it's velvety, fresh and harmonious but with the dustier tannins. This is the British farmer, rustic but elegant with his Land Rover, the Wellington boots, corduroy trousers and a Barbour jacket... but with a Priorat twang.”

James Suckling 93 points 

"Linear and fresh red with crushed berry and cherry character. Hints of spices and stones. Medium body. Firm tannins. Flavorful finish.”