Vanessa

9.3

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.👌🏻👌🏻
— 7 days ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Face off of the 2010 Cabernets with FirstLight Steak tenderloin. Dancing Bear comes out the winner with a touch more fruit and depth to it over the Quilceda Creek. Both wines decanted 90 mins. Smooth yet complex. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2018 vintage. Blockbuster nose with a pleasant amount of brett. Lean but as concentrated as ever throughout and on the finish. If you’re looking to drive a Napa Plushy De Ville cab, hit another dealership. 6.21.24. — 5 days ago

Julia Indik

9.5

Within a few minutes the opening notes change from what was lighter fruit to dark notes with bitter lace of coffee, fig, and bark. Cranberries sparkle through as an acidic tone then takes over with a tight and elegant finish. — 17 days ago

Greg Schuler

9.5

Dinner with Kevin Kropp, Sam Bartsch and Andrew celebrating listing of 35 Hiliritas @ Foreign Cinema — 15 days ago

Lawrence Bernstein

9.1

6/24 90 plus — 3 days ago

Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Deep purple color. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, vanilla, oak and licorice. Strong body on this wine, great black and blue fruit with oak on the finish. — 11 days ago

LM Segal

9.8

Takes the reins as best ever Dunn Cabernet for me…needed 45 mins out of Magnum, nose all Bordeaux of cedar and cigar box with a touch of cassis. Velvety palate, layers of red cherry and chocolate espresso bean, long, long finish. Find and drink now if you can. — 20 days ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.6

2019 vintage. — 10 days ago

Frank Artale

9.5

Gorgeous wine. Almost 20 years and going strong. Black cherry dried fig mint earth tar sweet tobacco. — a month ago