![]() Rugged and rocky land, beautiful views, centuries-old vineyards cultivated on terraces, hidden monasteries, and villages that camouflage with their environment where silence and stillness reign, that is, except for the time of the grape harvest. It is a world completely opposite to that of the nearby coastline. The mountainous region of Priorat is located near the Mediterranean Sea in the province of Tarragona (Catalonia). The landscape in Priorat is dramatic and the wines are a pure reflection of nature. The experience is however fantastic and no red wine lover will be disappointed. This implies most tours run as private tours and they are pricey. Alike with closer regions in Barcelona like Penedes or Alella, traveling to Priorat implies longer driving time and there is by far less demand. If you are planning to visit Priorat from Barcelona, Priorat wine tours depart daily from Barcelona. Small properties along with the strong dedication of grape growers and winemakers are what make possible the small number of wineries in this area, some of which can be visited. The difficult landscape does not allow for large-scale production from these lands. Wines from this area have gained an enormous reputation and this is due, without a doubt, to its challenging landscape. The physical geography of the Priorat region is very mountainous and difficult in cultivating vines. New wineries arrived but the areas where vines can grow and produce the real miracle of Priorat are limited. Experts from all over the world have turned their eyes and prices rocketed while low yields stayed. But the reward in the quality of grapes awaits, and what a reward it is! Priorat is the greatest Spanish niche for red fine wine. Yields are very small and the terraces and slopes mean anything but an easy life for viticulture. Viticulture becomes almost heroic in this field. ![]() These are soils that alternate layers of slate and quartzite, its colors one could say resemble a tiger skin: black and goldish. If the bedrock is key, the llicorella soil becomes indispensable. In areas where the soil can be eroded and become dry, schist is perfect for the vine-roots, which manage to find apertures and reach for water. The bedrock is vital and provides the schist stratum which is perfect for the vines. Priorat is a highland location, difficult to access and this explains its terroir. The small river Siurana, which is a tributary of the Ebro river that crosses Rioja and which ends in Tarragona at the natural park of the Ebro river, runs through the region and is fed from sources that arrive from the mountain range. You can find more about the wineries and wines in Priorat in this post. New plots also experimented with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Chenin Blanc. Garnacha (grenache) and CariƱena are the main two local red grapes. ![]() With less than 5% of grapes harvest being white, Priorat is a land of red wine. They basically shaped the region of Priorato the way we know it today. From a model based on vineyard and production in a cooperative style, they moved to their own premises. Some of these wines soon received international recognition and amongst their names we find Alvaro Palacios, Costers del Siurana, Mas Martinet, and Rene Barbier son. ![]() They agreed their wines would be called Clos plus a surname and get in this way differentiated with other wines being produced locally. They purchased plots with excellent vineyards and also planted new ones. In the 1980s a group of winemakers arrived in Priorat with a vision. One of the wineries in Priorat holds the name of Scala Dei and its wines are actually produced at the old priory cellars. Monks were gone a long time ago but the ruins of the monastery remained and are actually being restored. A small village grew next to the Priorato to provide service to its needs and the region took the name of the monastery. Soon after the monks started the construction of the Priorato de Scala Dei: the priory of the stairway of God. A shepherd told a priest about a vision he had: angels descended from a celestial ladder. There is an interesting story about why the Carthusian monks decided to establish in the Priorato de Scala Dei. The Priory of Scala Dei gives name to the region. ![]()
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