Around Barcelona
OCTOBER 2024
Barcelona is most well-known for its wonderful Cava, a dry, well-priced bubbly made using the Champagne method, but the winelands of Catalonia surround this historic city producing delicious red wines made of Garnacha, Tempranillo, Cariñena, Monastrell & more. The vineyards nearer the ocean enjoy weather that is more moderate with a fair amount of rain. The more inland you go, the hotter and drier it gets. Perfect for red grape cultivation. This month's club will show off a Tempranillo and a Tempranillo blend from Costers del Segre and a Garnacha/Cariñena blend from the prestigious Priorat DOQ. Enjoy!
2-BOTTLE CLUB
Priorat
The region of Priorat is located a couple hours down the coast from Barcelona. Head southwest to Tarragona and then inland and up into the rugged hills of Priorat with terraced vineyards from 300-2300 ft above sea level. It is believed that the Romans built the original vineyards in this area more than 2000 years ago. During the Middle Ages, local monks cultivated grape vines, olive trees, almonds & hazelnuts in this otherwise difficult to cultivate land.
Due to war and phylloxera, the vineyards in this area were decimated and were to some degree forgotten until the 1980's, when a group of winemakers (René Barbier from Tarragona & Alvaro Palacios from Rioja) saw the potential, got some funding, and went about replanting and restoring the vines.
Today, the Priorat region holds a designated Denominació d'Origen Qualificada or DOQ title. The only other region in Spain with this status is Rioja.
Clos Figueras
Purchased in 1997 by Charlotte and Christopher Cannan, Clos Figueras was an estate with old vine Garnacha and Cariñena vineyards. The couple restored these vineyards and planted other varieties such Syrah, Cabernet, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Chenin Blanc & more.
The estate has the classic llicorella soil famous in the area, a mix of black slate and quartz that imparts a wonderful minerality in its wines. The terrain is harsh and dry, but it enjoys the cooling breezes that come up from the Mediterranean, keeping the grapes from ripening too quickly. In addition to the vineyards, the estate has 135 olive tress, some more than 300 years old.
Clos Figueras 2022 Serras del Priorat
Priorat, Spain • Reg $39.99 | Mixed Case $31.99
Blend: 51% Garnacha, 31% Cariñena (Carignan), 12% Syrah, 6% Cab. Aged 7 months in second year oak barrels. Nose of red fruit, garrigue, fennel, earth (from the slate in the soil). Red fruit (raspberry, strawberry, red plums) on the front palate and black fruit (blackberry) and black pepper at the end. Crushed slate on the finish. Fuller-bodied. Drink now to 3 years. Terrific, fun, easy to enjoy wine. Pair with a richer style paella with chicken and chorizo, thick bone-in pork chops with mashed potatoes, or Escalivada (a roasted vegetable dish from Catalunya).
Costers del Segre
This sub-region of Catalonia is the most inland and can boast the most brutal conditions in the region: an extreme continental climate of hot days and cold nights, hardly any rainfall, and limestone soils that are "poor in organic matter". The vineyards range from 800-2500 ft above sea level.
Tomàs Cusiné
A trained viticulturist, Tomàs Cusiné (pictured) started making wine in 1985 for the Castell del Remei winery. He stayed on the lookout for ways to start his own business, founding the Cérvoles winery in 1997 and then Tomàs Cusiné in 2003 in the village of El Vilosell. Now at it for more than 30 vintages, he has made quite a name for himself.
His organic estate has grown to 30 hectares, and he contracts with 70 other local growers to source grapes. His vineyards are planted at 2300 ft above sea level. The soils are silty- and sandy-loam with gravel allowing for good drainage but with enough clay to stay moist. His vines are perfectly stressed to grow wonderful Tempranillo with good fruit, good color, good acidity and good tannic structure.
Tomàs Cusiné 2021 Llebre
Costers del Segre, Spain • Reg $19.99 | Mixed Case $15.99
100% Ull de Llebre = Tempranillo in Catalan. Literally translated, it means 'a hare´s eye' since the grape is small and dark. Thus, the label! Tart red plums, red berries, blackberries, cherries, faint saddle leather. Medium-bodied. Soft tannins on the finish. Drink now to 3 years.
3-BOTTLE CLUB
Tomas Cusine 2021 Vilosell
Costers del Segre, Spain • Reg $24.99 | Mixed Case $19.99
55% Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), 25% Syrah, 20% Garnatxa Negra. Lots of black fruit on the nose. Flavors of blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate, mocha. Medium-bodied with a long, smoky, pleasantly dry finish. Drink now to 3 years. Vilosell vineyards pictured.
We've had this club in mind for quite some time, so it's fun seeing it come to fruition. I lived in Barcelona for a year after completing my mandatory military service. I was waiting for a spot to open up in Germany to study medicine, and I had to kill some time. 1986-1987. Lots of crazy memories! Needless to say, I am fondly attached to the food and wine from this part of Spain.
We hope to see you at your wine club pickup tasting (always the 2nd Saturday of the month) to taste and learn about your club wines.
At the tasting we will also have the Portalis EXPLORES club wines open featuring a red & a white from central Italy's Marche region. Stop by!
Cheers,
Jens Strecker, Owner
Portalis Wine Shop
If you are here because you’re curious about our wine clubs: Here’s more general info & online signup> You can also peruse the last 12 months of both clubs to get a feel for the themes we pick and the wines we showcase: Portalis EXPLORES (our everyday wine club) & Portalis FLAGSHIP (our signature club).