The 2017 Gratallops Partida Bellvisos Blanc is a wine from the Priorat couple René Barbier Meyer (Clos Mogador) and Sara Pérez (Mas Martinet). It's a blend of Garnacha Blanca, Trepat Blanco and Viura (Macabeo) from 65-year-old vines. The appearance is coppery white close to rose, but no oxidation. It’s a powerful wine, ripe, spicy and some anise. — 2 years ago
This is a stunning Garnatxa blend from Priorat (Catalonia), Spain!!
It’s comprised of mostly Garnatxa (Grenache), along with Syrah, and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from three parcels in the sun-soaked village of Gratallops, where Daphne Glorian purchased her first vineyard – Clos Escales – back in 1989 when she founded Clos i Terraces. 🍇
In making this move, she joined equally passionate and pioneering winemakers Álvaro Palacios (L’Ermita) and René Barbier (Clos Mogador) in a rebirth of production practices in the region; as a group (with other similar-minded producers) they altered the trajectory of Priorat’s profile as a source of tip top quality wines rivaling the best on the world stage. 👏🏻
Priorat is one of only two regions carrying the “DOCa” / “DOQ” quality designation (the other is Rioja), subject to various stipulations including regular auditing by a tasting panel. ✅
This particular wine is “Laurel” which is Clos i Terraces’s second wine, next to Clos Erasmus, one of Priorat’s finest and most sought-after wines. Yet it tastes like a flagship wine in and of itself.🫶🏻🫶🏻
It is absolutely beautiful, with a medium ruby hue, medium (+) intensity of ripe and fresh strawberry, red cherry, red plum, violet, black licorice, fennel, clove, baking spice aromas and flavors. It’s dry, with medium(+) acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol (14% ABV), and medium tannins that are fine-grained. 😆
This wine vinified and aged in a combination of vessels, including, large oak vats, concrete tanks, second and third fill French oak barrels, and clay amphorae, lending to its texture and complexity.👌🏻👌🏻
— a month ago
You will appreciate this wine more once you’ve seen the YouTube movie “Dreaming of Wine” about the rejuvenation of the wine industry In Priorat after 900 years. A fascinating story and well worth the time to view the movie. Clos Erasmus was founded and still run by Daphne Glorian, the blonde woman in the movie. The wine itself is one of the 1001 Wines to Drink Before you Die and described as “one of the few cult wines in Spain”. The wine itself in colour was not as dense and dark as I was expecting after a decant though, a substantial deposit was left. Lovely red and black fruited aromatics with dried herbs, violets and ripe berries, although with porty and raisiny notes - cocoa and a touch of tar with granular tannins. Arguably a bit long in the tooth - depends what you are looking for. Bought at a wine shop in Gratallops, the little village in Priorat in June last year, 2022 after a tasting at Clos Mogador, also in the movie. Tasted a while ago Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave this wine 99 points “flirting with perfection “. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. — a year ago
Surprisingly lively at 20 years old. Lots of minerals. Concentrated. Beautiful — 4 months ago
Much more minerality than other Priorat I've had. Not sure what others on here are drinking, but I don't see this as fruit forward as they did. That said, hiding behind the llicorella you do get cherry vanilla, cocoa, and coconut--all classic Priorat flavors--with tinges of black pepper. Finish is a little weak for this price range, but I still enjoyed this very much. — 6 months ago
Blend of Garnacha (58%), Cariñena (25%) and a touch of Syrah (10%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) from vineyards in Gratallops, planted in the 1990s. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. Dark fruit, plums, earthy notes (graphite, slate) on the nose. Classic mineral character of Priorat. Big, powerful, fruit-driven. Not as smooth as their top wine Clos Figueras. Good freshness. Balanced — 3 years ago
Daniel Jara
Excellente vino , corrijo vinazo ! — 6 days ago