2017 Perpetual

I tasted two vintages of the old-vine red from Priorat, from two very different years, and in both they have introduced some changes. The 2017 Perpetual comes from a warm, dry and low-yielding year when they went for a less-extractive vinification (shorter macerations), especially in the case of the Cariñena, which represents 79% of the blend here, with the remaining 21% being Garnacha. The grapes are sourced from slopes of old vines from local growers in the villages of Porrera, Torroja, Lloar, Molar and Bellmunt, mixing warmer and cooler places, trying to achieve a balance that expresses the character of the place. It fermented in small stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and matured for 17 to 18 months in French oak barrels and foudre, only 30% of them new, while in the past it was up to 100% new. There are notes of wild berries and herbs and a layer of spices and earth. It's medium to full-bodied, with some grainy tannins, flavors of ripe grapes and a dry, long finish. 18,977 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in July 2019.