Priorat

Priorat is a DOCa but uses the term Catalunyan Denominació d’Origen Qualificada (DOQ) for wines from the Priorat region in the southwest of Catalunya. It is one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as DOCa (DOQ), the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, alongside Rioja DOCa.

The DOQ covers 11 municipalities. It primarily produces powerful red wines, which came to international attention in the 1990s. The area is characterised by its unique terroir of free draining black slate and quartz soil. These volcanic soils reflect the sunlight and conserve heat adding powerful ripeness which is concentrated further by low water retention levels. The vine’s roots must grow very deep to reach only small amounts of water creating small powerfully flavoured fruit.

The traditional reds from El Priorat are a single grape from either Garnacha (Grenache) or Carignan but can also be found as a blend of these two grapes. Garnacha is also blended with small quantities of other French varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Syrah.

As with other wine regions, ageing is used to indicate quality with wines labelled as follows:

Crianza – oak barrels for 6 months and then 18 months in the bottle.

Reserva – oak barrels for 12 months and then 24 months in the bottle. Gran Reserva – oak barrels for 24 months and then 36 months in the bottle.