Wine Legionnaires Season 4: The Priorat Paradox by Aleksandar Draganic

The Priorat Paradox

sasadivinasa — 2025-10-22 14:14:06 UTC

In November’s session we’re heading to the rugged hills of Catalunya to see what Priorat is really made of. Everyone knows the reds - Garnatxa and Carinyena from llicorella soils - but the whites are the region’s treasure chest. We’ll taste them side by side and answer the burning question: does Priorat’s future belong only to the reds, or do the whites deserve equal footing? Thanks to power couple Jing Wei Tan and Kelli for selecting our first ever Spanish theme!

Theme: The Priorat Paradox

Type: Blind

Location: San Shu Gong Chao Yue

Date: 8th November

Time: 8pm

Mas Doix Murmuri 2023

Clos Mogador Nelin 2021

Giol Porrera Les Sentius 2023

Mas d’en Gil Coma Calcari 2020

Clos Mogador Nelin 2016*

Terroir Al Límit Soc. Lda. Les Manyes 2013

Merum Desti 2021

Mas Doix Les Crestes 2022

En Numeros Vermells Etiqueta Negra 2020

Costers del Siurana Miserere 2007

*WOTN

Priorat at a glance

sasadivinasa — 2025-10-22 14:14:06 UTC

Priorat sits in the rugged hills southwest of Barcelona, in Catalunya’s Tarragona province. It’s one of only two Spanish regions with DOCa status (the other is Rioja). Its wines are defined by llicorella - the fractured black slate that forces vines deep into the earth, producing intensely concentrated fruit and a distinct mineral backbone.

🌿 Key Grapes:

Reds: Garnatxa (Grenache) and Carinyena (Carignan) dominate. Garnatxa brings generosity and red fruit; Carinyena adds structure and darker tones.
Whites: Garnatxa Blanca, Xarel•lo, Parellada, Macabeu, and the occasional Pedro Ximénez or Picapoll. Often blends, sometimes aged or skin-contact.

🌞 Climate:
Hot, dry Mediterranean days with cool nights thanks to altitude. The diurnal shift keeps acidity alive in even the ripest fruit.

🧭 History:

12th century: founded by Carthusian monks.
1980s: “Clos” pioneers (Palacios, Barbier, Pérez, Llagostera, etc.) revived the area with modern winemaking and French oak.
2000s–present: return to terroir, elegance, and minimal intervention.

💬 Signature Traits:

Deep colour, firm tannins, high alcohol.
Aromas of black cherry, plum, dried herbs, and slate dust.
Whites: full-bodied, textural, mineral-driven.

Flight 1 - Whites

sasadivinasa — 2025-10-22 14:14:06 UTC

Priorat’s whites remain one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Usually Garnatxa Blanca, Macabeu, or blends, they can be taut and mineral, rich and oxidative, or macerated and wild. This flight explores how the llicorella soils translate into texture, salinity, and depth - even without red pigment.

Each bottle is poured blind and revealed only after discussion.

During the tasting, use these prompts to guide your notes:

What grape do you think leads this wine - Garnatxa Blanca, Macabeu, PX, or something else?
How’s the texture - lean or oily and broad?
Can you sense oak or oxidation, or is it purely fresh and saline?
What’s the acid/alcohol balance telling you about elevation and winemaking intent?
Does this feel Mediterranean or more continental in style?

Flight 2 - Reds

sasadivinasa — 2025-10-22 14:14:06 UTC

This is where Priorat made its name - Garnatxa and Carinyena forged in black slate. Expect power, heat, and savoury minerality, but also elegance in the hands of modern producers who now chase purity over extraction.

During the tasting, use these questions to guide your notes:

Which grape feels dominant - Garnatxa (red fruit, warmth) or Carinyena (dark fruit, structure)?
What does tannin texture tell you about extraction and age?
Do you sense oak polish or a more transparent, low-intervention touch?
How does alcohol show itself - integrated or overpowering?
Does the terroir come through (graphite, slate dust, minerality)?
Modern vs traditional: where would you place it?