Articles

Clos Erasmus: First taste of 2021, retasting 2020

by  |  10-01-2024

For the 2022 Priorat report, I tasted the Clos Erasmus 2020 which had just been bottled about three weeks previous. This usually isn’t too much of an issue as good wines are pretty much showing... more »

A deeper look at DOQ Priorat 2019

by  |  17-03-2022

Whenever I can, I put together special tastings upon request in Priorat. They’re often for those visiting who want to sate a general wine curiosity or for dig deeper into a specific theme. In the... more »

In The Glass: Álvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2019

by  |  19-07-2021

When I did the first round of research for the Vinologue Priorat book back in 2012, I did everything I could to taste every wine produced in DOQ Priorat at the time. Some required a... more »

DOQ Priorat’s first “Grans Vinyes Classificades”

by  |  29-04-2021

DOQ Priorat has officially announced the first wines to be released under the “Gran vinya classificada” scheme by certifying: Mas de la Rosa of Vall Llach, 1902 – Tossal d’en Bou of Mas Doix, and... more »

Best Catalan wines of 2019

by  |  16-12-2019

We come to that time of year for the “100 Best Wines in the Whole Universe” or other similarly-named yet no less grandiose summaries in wine publications. Obviously, they’d be more aptly named, “The Best... more »

When the village goes dry

by  |  07-08-2019

On July 25th the village of Gratallops ran out of water. A village of 226 people, 23 wineries, three hotels, multiple holiday rentals, and seven restaurants/cafés had neither water to drink, nor to shower with,... more »

Let’s talk about ’16 and Álvaro Palacios

by  |  25-03-2019

A decade ago, despite living just an hour away in San Francisco, my visits to Napa Valley were readily-dwindling in regularity as tourism was then and is now, out of control. But in a nearly-final... more »
L-R: Sumarroca, 7103 Petit Celler, Montse Molla

The 2018 Harvest. So far so… normal-ish?

by  |  24-09-2018

Just once I’ve love to hear some wine promotion body speak of their current harvest and say something along the lines of, “This year? It’s shit. Seriously, don’t drink it. Actually, you won’t be able... more »

Old co-op, new tricks. La Vinícola Priorat’s Vi de Vila.

by  |  19-06-2018

On June 9th, La Vinícola del Priorat launched a new series of wines that are all certified under Priorat’s “Vi de Vila”. This certification establishes that 100% of the grapes from the wine came from... more »
Old vines in the Mas de la Rosa vineyard

A Priorat tasting of Carignan without borders

by  |  02-05-2018

Fully booked! Sorry for those who couldn’t get in this time around! I have admittedly been a bit crazy about Carignan lately. It’s no wonder as I posted this large, “Grand Tasting of Carignan” from... more »