Winemaker Notes
The winery Vinos Piñol is located in the town of Batea. This town is 45 miles south of Barcelona in the high mountains of Tarragona. 1300 ft above the Mediterranean Sea, the Terra Alta region is located next to Priorat, enjoying the same climate conditions and altitude as the Priorat wine region.
Vinos Piñol enjoys a high Mediterranean, with very hot days and cold nights with moderate rains. This climate allows the grapes to ripen very well during the day and slowly during the night, allowing the acidity and the skin-to-juice ratio to build up to the necessary level to have a well-balanced wine. The vineyards are well-protected by the high mountains surrounding Batea.
Limestone on the surface layer and clay on the inside layer, the soils of Vinos Piñol are poor in organic matter. This causes the vines produce lower yields, creating more concentrated grapes. With old family-owned vineyards, small production, organic farming, and the same climate conditions as Priorat, Vinos Piñol has become known for a beautiful selection of wines.
The highest wine growing zone in Spanish Cataluña, Terra Alta is south of Priorat and Montsant. Here growers are following the trends of Priorat, recovering Garnacha blanca vines for white wines and focusing on quality red blends.
Producing full-bodied white wines, Grenache Blanc can be unctuous and soft or floral and fresh. Some of the finest examples are terroir-driven, age-worthy wines. It is a key ingredient in white Châteauneuf-du-Pape and many white blends across southern France and NE Spain. Somm Secret—Grenache Blanc plays a key role in the vins doux naturels of Rivesaltes and a subsidiary role in those of Banyuls and Maury.