From: Priorat, Catalunya, Spain
Blend: 49% Garnacha, 36% Cariñena (Carignan), 13% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
Taste: Aromas of succulent cherry, strawberry, black plum, and cassis converge with notes of licorice, fennel, subtle Mediterranean spice, and an intriguing whiff of clay-ey earth. As the palate bursts with all of these flavors, the wine’s layered opulence marches in lock-step with its freshness, and the finish is long and persistent with elegant, fine-grained tannins.
Pairing: This wine will pair nicely with well-cured cheeses, pasta bakes, sausage-based dishes, grilled meats or vegetables, braised beef, and wintry casseroles, although we recommend avoiding chili heat due to the wine's alcohol content. For an amazing vegetarian dish, we’d suggest Colu Henry’s NYT recipe for Baked Mushrooms and White Beans With Buttery Bread Crumbs is a wonderful vegetarian pairing that would be great on its own, or as part of a larger meal next to some simple grilled sausages.
About. The 2020 Clar del Bosc Priorat was made by Bodegas Llicorella Vins, which is a subsidiary of Gil Family Estates. Gil Family Estates was founded in 1916, starting out as a family winery based in Jumilla, and over the course of four generations, the family expanded its vineyard holdings across the country. They now operate eleven wineries across ten different D.O.s (Protected Designations of Origin), with the goal of producing artisan-made wine that showcases native Spanish varietals in a way that reflects the unique qualities of the country’s land, grapes, and winemaking tradition.
Along with Rioja, Priorat is the only other Spanish wine region that qualifies for the country’s most prestigious designation of origin, DOCa. Because Priorat is located in Catalunya, you’ll often see the Catalan terminology of Denominació d’Origen Qualificada (DOQ) on its labels instead. Vineyards in Priorat are planted in the hills inland from the city of Tarragona, in a climate ideal for late-ripening Garnacha and Cariñena with its long, hot, and dry summers and low annual rainfall. The older bush vines that grow on area’s steep, nutrient-poor slate-laden terraces are known for producing wines of impressive power and concentration.
This wine is made from predominantly Garnacha (49%) and Cariñena (36%) with some Syrah (13%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (2%), planted on these storied terraced hillside vineyards, among pine and olive trees. Alternating cool winds from the north and temperate winds from the Mediterranean sea provided ample ventilation throughout the growing season, ultimately optimizing the both the wine’s ripeness and its freshness. Meanwhile, the region’s classic llicorella [yik-o-ral-ya] soils—comprised of layers of red slate with small particles of mica that sparkle in the sun to conserve warmth and retain groundwater—impart a noticeably stony minerality into the wine.
All the grapes in this blend were hand-harvested in 35-pound baskets to make sure the grape bunches would arrive at the winery in optimal condition. Each varietal was fermented separately, mostly in small, temperature-controlled open-top stainless steel tanks with regular punch-downs, although a small portion fermented in 500-liter oak barrels. After fermentation, each varietal was aged in a combination of 600, 300, and 225-liter French oak barrels for 12 months prior to blending for a perfect balance and flavor.
