Priorato Tinto

Score

97

"Plum, cherry sorbet and infused cranberries rest on chestnut and green olive tapenade. Thyme, oregano and Earl Grey impart herbal depth † cool and earthy. These are echoed in the petrichor and wet tobacco leaves that sit in the background. Fine yet robust tannins allow the wine to linger, and develop beautifully in the mouth. 49% Garnacha, 29% Cari¤ena, 16% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; native-yeast fermented, 30% with stems, then aged for 18 months in 2,000-litre oak foudres. Wood and alcohol are masterfully integrated in this vintage, which balances muscularity with fragrant nuance."

Score

97

"A beautiful, fresh red with lots of vibrancy. Mineral, flint, freshly crushed blueberries and red berries. Juicy, polished tannins with a little more crunch to the fruit this year. Has a nice firmness compared with the sweeter tannins in 2020. Really fluid, bright and vivid. Long. Drink or hold."

Score

98

"The eponymous red 2021 Clos Mogador fermented with some 30% full clusters trying to give it more freshness (but without noticing the stems) with a long maceration (40 to 50 days) and (almost) no punching down, with less extraction. There's been a progressive change in the vineyard (they removed the south-facing Cabernet Sauvignon), and they increased Cariñena (around 30%), which in the future will be almost as much as Garnacha. It has aromatic complexity and a beautiful texture. It matured in 2,000-liter oak foudres and a small part in barrel and later in concrete. The wine has 14% alcohol and has the Priorat, Mogador and Mediterranean character (wet slate, graphite, aromatic herbs) with more elegance and freshness. The tannins are also a lot more elegant, and the wine comes through as very balanced. They produced 35,000 bottles of this. It was bottled in June 2023."