Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses Laderas de Pizarra 2020, DOCa Priorat, Spain

If anyone embodies the promise and spirit of ‘The New Spain”, it’s Alvaro Palacios. Drawn to the remote and seductive Priorat, 60 miles from Barcelona, with the unique terroir of steep hills and terraces, Alvaro believed that here he could make a wine that evoked both Petrus and Grange. Drawing on 15+ years of study, Terrasses is sourced from many of the region’s steepest and oldest vineyards – many of them north-facing to avoid the intense afternoon sun. 2020 vintage – 72% Garnacha, 28% Carinena. Soil: 100% slate called Llicorella in Catalan. Viticulture: Harvesting is all done by hand. The estate vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically. Head pruned vines “poda en vaso”. Soil worked by mule. Vinification: The grapes are destemmed and sofly crushed. 30 day maceration. Fermentation is in stainless steel, cement and large wooden vats. Remontages and punching down. Aging: 10 months in French oak all of which was used to age previous vintages or Camins. 80% of the oak is one, two and three years old. In 2019, Les Terrasses was exceptionally high in Garnacha, the tendency in this cuvée. Cariñena suffered more from the mildew of 2020, and the final blend of the 2020 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes was 72% Garnacha and 28% Cariñena, with 14.5% alcohol. It is gentle, honest and with typicity representing the wines from yesteryear but clean and harmonious, with nice balance and no oxidation or volatility, so an updated version of the traditional wines.