Portal del Priorat 2016 Clos del Priorat Somni

PRODUCER INFO

• One of Catalonia’s emerging superstars, Alfredo Arribas was a nationally renowned architect before shifting his focus to farming and winemaking fifteen years ago, and is known for making some of the most elegant wines in Priorat and Montsant – Wines that are massive in terms of flavor and complexity, but diminutive in terms of alcohol levels and extraction…The opposite of the over ripe, over wooded Priorats of old.
• Alfredo Arribas’ estate is composed of about 150 acres in Priorat and 50 acres in southern Montsant, many of these vines are on original rootstock and pushing 100 years in age.
• Farming is organic/biodynamic, elevage is similarly natural, with native yeast, short macerations, minimal S02, and a “less is more” ethos.

ABOUT THE WINE

• The word “Somni” is Catalan for “dream” – Thus named because the wine is Alfredo Arribas’ favorite from his Clos del Portal project , balanced by its mineral core and exquisite freshness
• A blend of Carignan and Syrah, Somni plays the meatiness and depth of Syrah against Carignan’s brightness and intense aromatics. The result is inky and layered, highly fragrant and silken in texture, exemplifying the power and intensity for which Priorat is so revered
• Certified organic, farmed biodynamically, and made in Alfredo’s signature minimalist style

Vintage: 2016 | Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: 60% Carignan & 40% Syrah
Origin: Spain | Appellation: Priorat D.O.Q.
Elaboration: Hand harvested from second week of September to first week of October. Fermented and aged in French oak for 12 months.
Winemaker: Alfredo Arribas 

TASTING NOTES

High desnsity of aromas. Bouquet of mineral. Smoky and full of red berries notes, small wild cherries surrounded by spices, fresh herbs and underbush. Damp earth, liquid minerality! Dense and silky on the palate. A full-bodied presence of matter and structure with touches of a noble aging and textures full of nuances.

TECHNICAL DATA

Production: 500 cases | Alcohol: 14.0% | TA: 5.4 g/l | Residual Sugar:  | pH: 3.5

PRESS & POINTS

2016 – 93 Points, James Suckling
2016 – 92 Points, Guia Penin
2016 – 90 Points, BTI