Wine of the Week — Spanish Wine Collective

Terroir Historic 2018 - Terroir al Límit

D.O. – Priorat

Varieties – 75% Garnacha Blanca, 25% Macabeo

ABV - 13.5%

Terroir al Límit – Stairway to Heaven….

The Region

The captivating Catalan DOCa of Priorat is synonymous with quality red wines and, some would say, rather high prices. Its wine making origins date back to the 12th century when French monks arrived in the area looking for land to build their monastery, the Cartujo de Scala Dei (Ladder of God). They found it at the foot of Montsant (Holy Mountain) which today gives its name to the DO that completely surrounds the Priorat DO.

So is Priorat the jam at the centre of the doughnut? It’s certainly seen that way amongst the powers that be. It is the only other DO, along with Rioja, that carries the moniker DOCa denoting consistent quality or “calidad”.

So what sets Priorat apart? You may have heard of “llicorella” when wine folk talk of this region. Llicorella is decomposed slate that can look like shards of broken glass under the summer sun. It forms the topsoil throughout and is somewhat unique to this region.

There’s also the abrupt, rugged slopes to contend with. This is a land of calloused hands and aching backs. The grape harvest is only for the hardy be it human or animal.

Fans of Garnacha have gravitated to this region in recent years tempted by the wines of Alvaro Palacios, René Barbier & Dafne Clorian. The addition of Cariñena is Priorat’s signature blend and continues to set the benchmark for Mediterranean-influenced reds. But what of its white wines…??

The winemakers

Bavarian Dominik Huber & South African Eben Sadie, friends from their days at Mas Martinet, were the beating heart of Terroir al Límit at the outset. Sadie has since returned to his native Swartland leaving the reins to Huber.

20 years since their first vintage Huber now feels he’s bought the winning ticket. Gone are the days of extraction and ageing in small barrels. His modus operandi now consists of earlier harvests, full bunch fermentation and larger barrels; an altogether more Burgundian approach to winemaking.

This is a region of scarce rainfall. What water that does fall needs to be preserved sponge-like by sustainable methods to give Huber’s wines that tension & vitality he so craves and that he feels are the true expression of this low-yielding, nutrient-poor land.

The wine

In the glass it exudes sunlight, a lovely golden colour from a period of skin contact while ageing 6 months in cement vats. It harks back to the ancient brisats that are now becoming, once again, the darlings of the Mediterranean winemaking scene.

The full bunches were lightly foot-trodden in closed concrete and natural fermentation took place. There’s quince and a touch of apricot on the nose but what really shines through is the not-unpleasant oily quality of the Garnacha Blanca, like the wax drying on a Papal seal; an aroma befitting this region’s monastic heritage.

It’s creamy with a slightly spicy finish. Austere, elegant and with more than a hint of llicorella’s famed minerality. Not a wine for fruit-hounds but for those seeking a gentle introduction into the world of Priorat whites it’s an excellent window on this intriguing region.