Winemaker Notes
Camí Pesseroles is the reflex of its location, the ancient mountain road from Gratallops to Porrera, where you sink knee-deep into the slate. It is also the reflex of that old Cariñena, which is more than 80 years old, and a younger 30-year-old Garnacha.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2021 Cami Pesseroles captures the resilient spirit of Garnatxa and Cariñena from the sunny slate hills of Priorat. Fermented in chestnut wood and oak foudres, the 2021 delivers aromas of pomegranate, sour cherry and herbs, along with notes of undergrowth and distinct woody elements. Dry, austere and grippy on the palate, it has a unique, talc-like mouthfeel that leads to a lean, mineral-driven finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Camí Pesseroles is mostly Cariñena (90%) with some Garnacha from head-pruned old vines planted in 1939 that always deliver concentration and grip. In 2021, they picked the grapes earlier, fermented with full clusters, and the wine finished with 13.3% alcohol. It has the earthy and soil feeling of the Cariñena and the black slate, with hints of tree bark and ink, but there is also an herbal touch, with lots of tension and a lot of energy.
-
Wine Spectator
Well-spiced and minerally, this sculpted red layers base notes of stone and iron with a pure beam of black currant and mulberry fruit flavors, offering an aromatic overtone of medicinal herbs and cigar box spices. Shows good focus, with the concentrated fruit and fragrant accents cascading through the long, firm finish. Grenache and Carignan. Best from 2026 through 2036. 250 cases made, 60 cases imported.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Tiny and entirely composed of craggy, jagged and deeply terraced vineyards, Priorat is a Catalan wine-producing region that was virtually abandoned until the early 1990s. This Spanish wine's renaissance came with the arrival of one man, René Barbier, who recognized the region’s forgotten potential. He banded with five friends to create five “Clos” in the village of Gratallops. Their aim was to revive some of Priorat’s ancient Carignan vines, as well as plant new—mainly French—varieties. These winemakers were technically skilled, well-trained and locally inspired; not surprisingly their results were a far cry from the few rustic and overly fermented wines already produced.
This movement escalated Priorat’s popularity for a few reasons. Its new wines were modern and made with well-recognized varieties, namely old Carignan and Grenache blended with Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. When the demand arrived, scarcity commanded higher prices and as the region discovered its new acclaim, investors came running from near and far. Within ten years, the area under vine practically doubled.
Priorat’s steep slopes of licorella (brown and black slate) and quartzite soils, protection from the cold winds of the Siera de Monstant and a lack of water, leading to incredibly low vine yields, all work together to make the region’s wines unique. While similar blends could and are produced elsewhere, the mineral essence and unprecedented concentration of a Priorat wine is unmistakable.