Priorat

Vines made their first appearance on the steep, arid hillsides of Priorat thanks to monks in the 12th century, but after phylloxera and the Spanish Civil War ravaged the region, the true potential of its slate soils wasn’t fulfilled until a group of producers including the now-celebrated René Barbier, Alvaro Palacios and Mas Doix arrived.

From backwater to high fashion, Priorat is now a must-have red for any self-respecting Spanish wine lover. Its fleshy, silken reds, made from old, contorted Cariñena and Garnacha vines have an astonishing brightness of acidity despite its warm climes. Its llicorella soils, packed with red slate, quartz and other minerals sparkle in the sun and reflect heat, but also provide astonishing tension in these powerful wines.

Planted on precipitous slopes, the region’s old vines produce tiny yields making intensely concentrated, powerful wines with plentiful tannins that provide great cellaring potential. The native Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan) are now sometimes blended with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah by modern producers, bringing an international touch to the wines.

Those who started the Priorat revolution remain and have recently instigated a more formal Burgundy-like quality pyramid with 12 named villages including Gratallops and Falset sitting above the wider Priorat DOCa.

The area’s success has also attracted foreign investment and a new breed of tourists, keen to explore the rural region’s breathtaking vineyards, two hours’ drive from Barcelona.