Alvaro Palacios : Gratallops Vi de Vila 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for Gratallops Vi de Vila 2023 by Álvaro Palacios

Tasting

Nose
The nose reveals aromas of red fruits such as cherry and strawberry, accompanied by subtle notes of blackberry.

Palate
On the palate, this foudre-aged wine is lively and fruit-driven, with remarkable concentration that lends depth. Its texture is smooth and well balanced, leading to a persistent and pleasing finish.

Serving and cellaring
Gratallops Vi de Vila 2023 is best kept at a maximum temperature of 12°C. This wine has excellent cellaring potential and will reach its peak drinking around 2030.

The elegance of a Priorat wine from exceptional terroirs by Álvaro Palacios

The estate
Founded in 1989 by Álvaro Palacios near Gratallops in Catalonia, this estate revolutionized the Priorat region. A descendant of a winemaking family from Rioja, Álvaro Palacios remains the owner and head of this pioneering operation. Set on steep terraces of black slate, the vineyard primarily grows Grenache and Cariñena using environmentally friendly methods, with vines aged 25 to 81 years. He transformed Priorat into a serious rival to Rioja thanks to emblematic cuvées such as L’Ermita.

The vineyard
Gratallops Vi de Vila comes from several plots located in the village of Gratallops in the heart of Priorat, notably Solanes de l’Ermita, Coll de Falset, Guinarderes, Mas Pallarès, Vinyals, and Sorts. These vineyards extend across steep terraces facing north and east, at an elevation between 300 and 430 meters. The soils are composed of stratified siliceous slate called llicorella, with a silty texture, dating from the Paleozoic era. The Mediterranean climate benefits from a strong maritime influence. The vines, aged 25 to 81 years, are trained as bush vines in keeping with Priorat’s traditional methods.

Winemaking and aging
After manual harvesting, fermentation is initiated by native yeasts and takes place in large oak vats (foudres). Aging also takes place in foudres. This wine is neither filtered nor fined.

Grape varieties
This Catalan wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Cariñena.