SOLD OUT! The 2017 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes is a very special bottle of Spanish red wine. Palacios was one of the original producers to revive Priorat in the early 90’s, and this is your chance to experience a world class Spanish red.
My distributor sent me a sample of this last week, and Lynn and I enjoyed this one Saturday night. From some of the oldest and steepest sites in the region, this is a serious and seriously delicious and satisfying bottle of red wine.
2017 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes
“ONE OF THE BEST PRIORATS I’VE EVER TASTED.” – Josh Spurling - 95 points
93 points Wine Advocate
SOLD OUT
Alvaro Palacios is an icon of Spanish wine. If you love Priorat as much as I do, you owe this man a huge debt of gratitude. Not only is Palacios one of the great producers of this rugged region, he’s also one of the leading proponents of biodynamic farming in Spain. And his wines showcase the wonderful balance of ripe fruit, spice, and mineral that Priorat is known for.
Velles Vinyes is Catalan for old vines and Les Terrasses refers to the steep, terraced vineyards of Priorat. This “extreme” growing region is home to some of the steepest vineyards in the world. Thus, all the work must be done by hand. No machines, no tractors, no shortcuts. But it’s extreme sites like this one that yield extremely delicious wines.
The 2017 Palacios Priorat Les Terrassess Velles Vinyes is a blend of 55% Garnacha and 45% Carinena from biodynamic and organic vineyards. All of the vineyards are higher altitude and all are composed of the classic Llicorella (black slate) soils of the region. Grapes are hand harvested and fermentation takes place with native yeasts in a combination of stainless steel, cement, and large oak vats. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months in French oak.
The resulting wine is glorious and a huge step up from most of the Priorats we currently stock. Ripe and boisterous, yet pure and clean, the nose is laced with dark cherry, blueberry, graphite, wild herb, and orange zest notes. The palate is equally rocking, with good concentration, great depth of flavor, and supple, seamless tannin. This is Priorat done right!
And what a wine to enjoy with your favorite grilled meat……mine is lamb! And though this is offering immediate gratification, it has room to grow. I suspect it will peak sometime between 2025 and 2030. So it’s your call there! I wish there was more to offer, but great wines like this one aren’t made in large quantities.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville