2011 Portal del Priorat Clos del Portal Negre de Negres
Vineyards:
The Clos del Portal estate is located in the Priorat region of Spain, one of only two regions to receive the country's prized DOCa designation. Nestled between El Lloar and Bellmut, the 40 ha estate is a connected patchwork of individual parcels, 14 ha of which are planted to vines. The vineyards lie above the River Siurana valley, and rise -- in a succession of terraces and "costers" (steep hillside plots) -- to the spurs of the Montsant range. Characteristic of the region, soils are mineral rich, predominantly "Llicorella" slate. However, it is the different proportions of oxidized slate and other compounds in each parcel that lend complexity to the final cuvee. Each parcel is vinified separately. The estate is organically farmed, transitioning to biodynamics.Technical Notes:
For Negre de Negres, early ripening bunches of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah were selectively hand-harvested during the month of September. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Fermentation with native yeasts. Unfiltered.Producer:
If anyone embodies the dynamism of Priorat, it's Alfredo Arribas. Sourced in a sub-region producing among the most stunning wines in all of Spain, his estate wines express the extreme terroir that is Priorat, albeit with an elegance, subtlety and purity that inform the future of the region.| Site: Alt DOCa Priorat 100 - 750 m |
| Varietal(s): Grenache 60%, Carignan 30%, Syrah 10% |
| Soils: "Llicorella" Slate |
| Vinification: 12 Months in French Oak Barrels |
| Production: Limited - 12,121 Bottles |
| Farming: Organic Transitioning to Biodynamic |