This wine is a game-changer for me. Of all the excellent Priorat wine I’ve enjoyed over the years, this one has deepened my understanding of the region the most.
Although winegrowing in this part of northeastern Spain was initiated by Carthusian monks in the 12th century, it’s Priorat’s recent history we’ve all fixed on—its quick rise to international fame in the 1990s and the luxurious, critically beloved reds that made it happen. There are many impressive wines in that group—wines that compete with the best of Bordeaux, Napa, Argentina, you name it—but “Pissarres” is the one that has given me the clearest sense of what Priorat
the place is all about. Whether you’ve visited the region or just seen pictures, it’s as unique and dramatic as wine regions get—hot, arid, and high in elevation, with steep-sloping vineyards strewn with shards of slate known locally as
llicorella. With Pissarres (derived from
pizarra, Spanish for slate) you really are transported there, solely via the traditional grapes of the region: Carignane (Samsó) and Grenache (Garnatxa). There’s plenty of the dark-fruited density Priorat is known for, but less of the oaky, “international” sheen that characterizes many of the best-known wines. And finally, there’s the price: An absolute steal for (a) a tremendous amount of wine and (b) a regional benchmark. For me, it's the best Priorat money can buy right now.
Considered the flagship wine of the Costers del Priorat estate, the Pissarres bottling is sourced from two of its three distinct vineyard plots—Finca Sant Martí, a west-facing slope just outside the village of Bellmunt, at an elevation of about 350 meters; and Mas Alsera, a spectacular amphitheater of old vines in the town of Torroja. The Mas Alsera site is a little warmer and is planted more to the hardy Samsó than Garnatxa, while the percentages are reversed in Finca Sant Martí. In both cases, the mostly bush-trained vines (some dating to the 1930s) are arrayed on terraces in soils of slate and schist. The estate’s vines are farmed organically according to the exacting standards of winemaker José Mas Barberà, who is striving for the most transparent, most soil-expressive style of Priorat possible.
Samsó (Carignane) is especially well-suited to the extreme climate of Priorat: hot, dry, and prone to very dramatic diurnal temperature swings. But unlike Grenache, another warm-climate variety, Carignane has had fewer opportunities the world over to prove its worth. It’s still thought of as a workhorse blending variety, but in this wine, it’s given a rare opportunity to shine. Pissarres is 60% Samsó and 40% Garnatxa, with the Samsó contributing an earthy, meaty, black-fruited soulfulness that underpins the perfumed, cherry-fruited Grenache component. It’s the steady, skillful bass player with an especially juicy part to play in this particular composition—and as someone who thinks Carignane/Samsó is a wildly underrated variety (I love it in wines from the Roussillon in France as well), I always perk up when I encounter one this good.
The old-vine fruit for today’s sumptuous 2017 was fermented using ambient yeasts in a mixture of stainless steel and concrete tanks. Some of the whole grape clusters were left intact, which has lent a touch of spice to the flavors and firmed up the structure; most enjoyably, there isn’t the heavy-handed oak treatment that once characterized so much of Priorat, but rather 12 months’ aging in a mixture of used barrels (2,000-3,000-liter capacity) and amphorae. There are hints of mocha and vanilla, but they are just accent notes to a chunky core of dark fruit and dusty, mineral-rich earth. As José Mas Barberà noted in response to an email query about Pissarres, “We produce grapes, not barrels. For me barrels are just a vessel to keep the wine for a period of time.”
In the glass, the 2017 Pissarres is an inky ruby-black moving to magenta at the rim, with an aromatic color palette ranging from black to purple to red. Ripe and inviting scents of mulberry, Morello cherry, pomegranate, and black raspberry are complemented by smoky, savory notes of crushed rocks, wild herbs, espresso grounds, licorice, leather, violets, and roasted meat. It’s a full-bodied wine but much more lively and fresh on the finish than you might be expecting, with fine-grained tannins and nice focus. It’s rich and palate-coating without being syrupy/sweet, which for all of us at SommSelect is a huge (usually decision-sealing) plus. Decant it 30-45 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems at 60 degrees, making sure to pair it with something that will play to its wilder, more earthy side: Something off the grill makes the most sense to me, ideally with a good char on it. I can’t wait to open another bottle of this wine soon—it is a benchmark that must not be missed!
