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 »

The rebuilding of Priorat’s Vall Llach

by  |  27-10-2021

As was reported back in the middle of January of this year, a historic snowstorm crushed the roof of Vall Llach’s main production cellar, destroying the building in the process. In an update to the... 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 »

1999 Vintage in Priorat vs. Châteauneuf-du-Pape

by  |  15-02-2021

While my memory is less amazing with each birthday, I can tell you exactly where I was at the beginning of 1999. Two friends came down from my hometown on December 31st, 1998 so that... more »

An update on Priorat’s Vall Llach winery destruction

by  |  25-01-2021

As was reported on January 10th, the primary cellar holding nearly all the wines of Vall Llach in Porrera collapsed under the weight of snow from “Storm Filomena”. Due to the ongoing municipal confinement, it... more »

In The Glass: Sangenís i Vaqué – Lo Coster Blanc 2018

by  |  14-08-2020

Everyone in marketing these days is emphasizing the importance of “the story” over all else. Those of us who drink wine like to think that what really counts is in the bottle though. Thankfully, this... more »

Best Catalan wine 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 »
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 »

The Amphora Project

by  |  01-09-2018

Everyone knows everyone in Catalunya’s Priorat region but after living there on and off for two years, for some reason I didn’t know Albert. He was the assistant winemaker at a prominent winery and had... 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 »