Articles

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 »

Pre-tasting DOQ Priorat 2020

by  |  30-11-2021

A feeling washed over me when I was tasting the wines for the DO Tarragona report earlier this year. Despite being exceedingly young wines at the time from a region that’s one of Catalunya’s less... 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 »

A reflective tasting on DOQ Priorat’s 2010 vintage

by  |  29-03-2021

Every year in Priorat, there’s a small event called the, Tast del Decenni or, “decade tasting”. It’s an intimate affair in a very packed room that takes place during the annual Fira del Vi. The... 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 »

Álvaro Palacios en primeur 2016

by  |  29-05-2017

Due to research for another another article with Meininger’s, I paid a visit to Álvaro Palacios last month for a chat and, being the consummate showman that he is (the classy booklet above was for... more »

Adieu France – The regrafting of Catalan vineyards

by  |  09-03-2017

“I can’t speak for all of Spain, but Cabernet Sauvignon sucks in Catalunya. You pick it when it’s ripe and you’re going to be making dessert wine. You pick it before it raisins and it’s... more »

A review of “Priorat” (The Movie!)

by  |  07-11-2016 ~ 7 Comments

The opening night of the Most Festival saw the premiere of, "Priorat" a documentary created to tell the story of the rebirth of a wine region that nearly faded in to the sands of time.... more »

Cooperatives, terroir, and finding place in 21st Catalonia

by  |  05-07-2016

Previously, I wrote about the rise of the small cellars in DO Montsant which, unsurprisingly was well-received by those in this DO who have been working hard to present a unified front of quality wines... more »