Priorato Blanco

Score

94

Score

96

Score

94

"Medium gold hue. Complex and intense with a subtle note of croissant-like pastry to the Mediterranean spices, stones, tropical fruit, yellow nectarines with a hint of oxidative complexity that touches the sweet spot. A hint of honey, too. Full-bodied and voluminous with solid structure on the palate. Some tannins and fresh acidity go hand in hand. What a serious but fun white to enjoy now. Macabeo, pansal, picapoll blanc, cartoixa and others."

Score

94

Score

92

"Floral on the nose and fresh, this deftly knit white layers flavors of white cherry, blanched almond, saffron and a touch of honeycomb with a salty base note and lively acidity. Fine and silky on the palate, with a long finish. Dry and well-spiced. Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu. Drink now through 2028. 120 cases imported."

Score

94

"The 2021 Nelin is composed of 70% Garnatxa Blanca, 20% Macabeu and 10% other varieties (Pansal, Picapoll Blanc, Cartoixa), harvested from slate soils in Priorat. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels, this yellow-hued wine reveals dusty, vermouth-like aromas and attractive notes of peach and apricot. Dry, concentrated and compact, it offers a rich palate with a bold, refreshing mouthfeel. This flavorful white wine reflects the evolving trends in the region."

Score

96

"Marking the 20th anniversary of this white wine, the 2021 Nelin was produced with Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Picapoll white and Cariñena Blanca—in the future, there will be more and more of the last two varieties in the blend, a big change from the beginning. Produced with the juice from the direct pressing, the wine spent one year in oak and six months in tank. It's balsamic, eminently Mediterranean and ripe, with 14% alcohol (a little lower through the change of varieties) and notes of hay and straw, aromatic herbs and waxy apples. It has volume and density but with the freshness from a cooler year. It's approachable but should develop a lot more complexity with time in bottle. They planted three new hectares of white grapes, so volumes will grow in future years. 10,000 bottles."

Score

92

"This bold yet graceful white opens with a racy tang of salinity that underscores the dried apricot and white cherry fruit, orange curd, chopped almond, vanilla and white blossom notes. Long and focused, with a plush creaminess to the texture. Offers a cleaning sweep of acidity, showing accents of zesty white pepper and pink grapefruit pith on the finish. Garnacha Blanca and Macabeu. Drink now through 2034. 1,500 cases made, 250 cases imported."