Terroir Al Limit Historic Blanc 2018
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Parker
Robert
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After a fateful tasting at Can Roca followed by the tasting menu, Dominik Huber became convinced that not enough attention was being paid to white wines in the Priorat. Out of the dozen courses he had, only about three were suited to red wines so when he got back to Torroja he set about creating two new wines at Terroir al Limit – Terra de Cuques and Pedra de Guix. Naturally when Dominik launched Terroir Històric in 2015, the white wasn’t going to be an afterthought and it in fact represents half of his production. A blend of Garnatxa Blanca and Macabeu, the Terroir Historic Blanc is pressed whole cluster, and ferments and ages for 6 months in a 5000L concrete tank. Nothing added, nothing taken away.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Terroir Históric Blanc is a constant blend of 75% Garnacha Blanca and 25% Macabeo fermented with some skin contact that gives it a golden color, a nose of quince and peach kernel and a fine tannic sensation on the palate. It has lots of herbs and spices and feels a little lighter (the skin contact has been reduced) with good freshness; it's powerful yet light on its feet and very tasty.
Other Vintages
2021-
Parker
Robert
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
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.