PRIORATO
 
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Priorato is known as "Priorat" in catanla, and is one of Calatuña's most ancient winemaking areas. Its espectacular mountain terrain and individual styles of wine making it virtually unique in Spain. The vineyards are in the province of Tarragona, in valleys drained by the river Siurana, and mainly terraced into de hillsides of Montsat mountains, wich reach an altitud of almost 4,000ft in places.
Scala Dei ('the stairway of God') is probably the oldest winemaking village in Priorato, and the story goes that, a thousand years ago, a shepherd saw a vision of angels ascending into heaven on a staircase. A Carthusian monastery was founded -on the site and, in due course, a (very) small village grew up to service it. The monastery is in ruins but the village thrives as a centre of winemaking.
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varieties White Garnacha Blanca Macabeo (Viura) Pedro Ximénez Black Garnacha Tinta Garnacha Peluda Mazuela
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El Priorato Central tiene un suelo llamado 'Llicorella' que és único en la región. De origen volcánico, alterna bandas de cuarzita rojiza y pizarra negra que da una extraña apariencia atigrada a las laderas de los valles. La capa superficial del terreno es fértil como producto del desmoronamiento de la pizarra y la mica de un grosor de 8 pulgadas, y esto combinado con la estriación del subsuelo permite a las cepas de enraizarse seguras en pendientes muy escarpadas, y que les permite no ser arrastradas durante fuertes lluvias. Los viñedos varian en su altitud de los 100 metros hasta más allá de los 600 metros.
Climate
Central Priorato. has a soil called
'Llicorella' which is unique to the region. Of volcanic
origin, it has alternating bands of reddish quartzite and
black slate which give a strange 'tigerskin' look to the
valley sides. Topsoil is fertile decayed slate and mica
about eighteen inches thick, and this combined with the
striations of the subsoil allows the vines to anchor
themselves safely on slopes which, elsewhere, would be so
steep as to allow vines to be washed away during heavy
rain. The vineyards vary in altitude from 350ft to well
over 2,000ft.
Grapes
The recommended red grape
is the Garnacha Tinta, and this is where the grape comes
into its
own. The Cariñena is also grown as a subsidiary red, and
for white wines the main grapes are the Garnacha Blanca,
Macabeo and Pedro Ximénez.
Wines
Modern technology is
well-represented in Priorato, and red, white and Rosado
wines in the young, fresh Joven style for immediate
drinking form an increasing part of production.
Traditional wines are part of what has made Priorato
famous, and one of them is a sweet Generoso made with
Garnacha and Pedro Ximénez.
The best-known Priorato wines, however, are its
tradicional reds. Made with 100% Garnacha they must
achieve nearly 14% abv by natural fermentation, and when
young are so dark as to be almost black. They live for
many years and have their own special oak-ageing
regulations:
Crianza is red wine which has spent at least one year in oak barricas and some time in the bottle, and which may not be released until its third year.
Reserva is red wine which has spent at least one year in oak barricas and at least two further years in bottle,- and which may not be released until its fourth year.
Gran Reserva is red wine which has spent at least two years in oak barricas and at least a further four years in bottle, and which may not be released until its seventh year.
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