Why is Priorat so expensive, and is it worth it?

Because almost everything about making it is hard: steep slate slopes that have to be terraced and worked by hand, poor soil that gives small crops, and a small region. What you pay for is concentration that cheaper reds can't copy.

Start with the ground

Priorat, in Catalonia, is one of only two Spanish regions with the country's top quality rank. The other is Rioja. Its vines grow in llicorella, a broken dark slate. The slate holds the day's heat and gives it back at night, so the grapes ripen fully, and the poor, stony soil forces the roots to go deep.

The slopes are steep, so many vineyards are terraced and most of the work, including the picking, is done by hand. Small crops plus hand work is the main reason the price is higher than for most Spanish reds.

An example: Priorat +7, Finca Mas Blanc 2021

The wine in this Ask EDKA episode comes from the Tetas family's 18-hectare Mas Blanc estate, between Bellmunt and Falset. The family has more than 150 years of winemaking in Penedès behind it, bought the estate in the 1990s and terraced the slopes themselves.

It is farmed organically and biodynamically; in 2007 Pinord became the first Spanish winery to hold Demeter certification. The grapes are picked by hand, each variety fermented separately, then the wine spends 12 months in American and French oak and a further 12 months in bottle.

What it tastes like

75% Garnacha, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah. Dense black fruit, vanilla and chocolate, with raisined plum and truffle. Full-bodied but silky, with a long, smooth finish.

So is it worth it? If you want a red with real depth that will also keep for decades, yes. Give it an hour in a decanter if you open it young and serve at 16 to 18°C, with red meat, cheese or rich dishes. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Want to try it?

See Priorat +7, Finca Mas Blanc, Bodegas Pinord 2021.

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