Thoughts on the Worthwhileness of Big Priorat

WINE TALK
1

Anyone with experience with “high-end” non-Rioja Spanish wines, on the order of Numanthia/Termanthia to Rottlan? Wondering if there are gems among the fruit bombs and oaky drek. My experience is minimal.

2

I would continue your Rioja explorations.

Honestly, the few I’ve had has not made me want to explore more. I felt they were a little too extracted and big, like the Aussie shiraz of yore.

3

Anyone with experience with “high-end” non-Rioja Spanish wines, on the order of Numanthia/Termanthia to Rottlan? Wondering if there are gems among the fruit bombs and oaky drek. My experience is minimal.

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And yet with minimal experience you dismiss Spanish wine as fruit bombs and oaky drek?

4

I’d have a tough time comparing the “big” Priorats to many Australian wines, especially the MollyDooker types.

I think Priorat gets a bad wrap but somehow the prices stay high, they must be selling. I think what really sets Priorat apart is the aroma. It’s so distinct and specific to that region, even Montsant doesn’t do it for me.

5

I find little to enjoy in the Termanthia/Aalto PS/Mauro VS/luxury style of Spanish wines. I count Rotllan Torre among the better producers in Priorat though, with Mogador, Erasmus, Mas Doix, & Palacios. An '01 Mogador the other night was as impressive as any Grenache wine from anywhere.

Val Llach and Mas d’en Gil are some high-scoring wines more in the jammy, blobby style.

6

I don’t think that’s a fair at all as a summary of the original post.

As to the actual topic, I think it depends on what you mean by high end. My experience with the WA darlings is quite minimal, but i found them all to fit the oaky fruit bomb mold (no surprise). I have tasted other high quality Priorat that I liked rather better, but not enough to search them out. IME, any wine typical of the region might reasonably called ‘Big Priorat’ – these are large-scaled wines with big flavors. If you expand your definition of high-end non-Rioja Spanish wines to include other than Priorat and other than wines the WA loves, I think there’s plenty of interesting things. Look for things imported by Jose Pastor and Neal Rosenthal. There are other reliable sources that are eluding me at this early morning hour.

7

Yet one has the Albarinhos of Galicia if one is prepared to explore whites. And sherries of course.

8

I quite enjoy wines from this region for its extracted style coupled with minerality. Yes the wines can be big but in the finest examples they have layered complexity that is unique to the terroir coupled with an intensity of fruit that I enjoy. The licorella rock/soil, extreme hillside/moutain terrain show in the wines. Particular favorites are L’Ermita, Clos Mogador, Mas Doix, Odysseus, and En Numeros Vermells - the last wines made by Sylvia Puig and imported by Jonas Gustafsson.

9

You may want to talk to Phil at Bassins. I know he went to Spain recently and he did direct me to a few Priorat wines recently as something interesting that I should try. I wasn’t even looking for Priorat but when Phil says I should try it, I normally buy it as he is usually correct. I liked the first one I tried which was definetly on the big side but maintained a balance. The price was good too although I see in the on-line inventory they do carry some of the bigger priced wines as well.

10

Noah, take a look at the Ferrer-Bobet Priorats. The regular Vinyes Velles bottling is quite affordable for the quality at around $40-50.

11

Mas Doix
Terroir Al Limit
Clos Erasmus
Clos Mogador
L’Ermita
Roquers de Porrera
Closa Batllet
Nit de Nin

12

I’m a big fan - with my favorites being Mas Doix and Finca Dofi. But I’m an even bigger fan of Ribera wines like Aalto, Mauro, and Vina Sastre.

13

Mas Doix makes crazy good wine.

14

I’ve generally liked the wines I’ve tried. They are often big, but they have that graphite dimension and higher acidity, so they don’t feel goopy like a Mollydooker or Alto Moncayo.

15

Enjoyed a 2004 Lo Givot the other evening. Dark sweet fruits (not stewed) with savory notes and salinity. There was just enough acidity to keep it bright.