THE VINEYARDS OF PERINET

Perinet’s vineyards encompass three major expressions of historic Priorat. The project as a whole allows Perinet’s vines to shape a new balance of styles in winemaking. Specifically, the three vineyard climates correspond to three wine styles: warm and ripe: Mas Vell; fresh and long: Mas del Xes; and Mediterranean and aromatic: Pendents, in the municipality of Porrera.

The three plots show a strong personality, where several local and international varieties grow on steep slopes and terraces with different exposures and orientations. This allows the authenticity of the landscape to be conveyed through the estate’s different wines, always linked to Priorat’s climate and slate soils.

Technical Sheet

Winery: Estate vineyards in La Morera de Montsant-Priorat (Tarragona), harvested by hand.
D.O.C. Priorat
Alcohol: 15%
Variety: blend of 62% Garnacha, 31% Cariñena, 7% Syrah

Tasting note: Deep, dark ruby, with purple and velvety notes. Dense color intensity.
On the nose: A broad range of forest fruits, blueberries, warm earth, and toasted oak. An open, perfumed, floral expression: anise, licorice and rosemary honey, fresh mint, and hints of pepper.
On the palate: Lush and generous, with density, texture, and length. Wild red fruits with well-integrated silky tannins. Smooth and charming complexity. Balanced. Fresh, deep acidity, with notes of sea breeze and salinity. Inspiring.

Serving temperature: 16-18ºC

Winemaking: Its vineyards are characterized by their varieties and morphology. Mas Vell is the vineyard with the greatest sun exposure; it stands out for its Garnatxa and a harvest of high ripeness. Pendents represents the most spectacular and pronounced slope within the Perinet estates (in some parts of the vineyard, the incline exceeds 30%). With a fully northeast orientation, Pendents receives a strong influence from the Mediterranean breeze and humidity, which nuances the minerality and concentration of this 1194. Fermentation is carried out 80% in 600L barrels and 20% in stainless steel, and aging takes place for 18 months in 100% new French oak.

Pairing: at Made in Spain Gourmet we recommend it with game meats, red meats, acorn-fed ham, and reserve sheep’s or goat’s cheeses aged for more than 10 months.

The region holds the coveted DOCa designation...

Today, the region holds the coveted “Denominación de Origen Calificada” designation, which in Spain is shared only with Rioja.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Priorat is a small mountainous region located in the province of Tarragona. The Montsant mountain range borders it to the north; to the west lies the Sierra de La Figuera, to the east the Sierra de Molló, and to the south the territory opens out following the course of the Siurana River downstream toward the Ebro. The Siurana River and its tributaries are the area’s main geographical artery, creating a series of valleys and small plains thanks also to the geological sinuosity of the mountain ranges and slopes. According to Catalonia’s legislation on regional administrative division, the territory of the DOCa Priorat falls within a broader administrative area known as the “Comarca del Priorat,” which also includes a portion of territory that is not part of winegrowing Priorat.

The Denominación de Origen Calificada Priorat covers 17,629 hectares, of which 2,163.97 are planted with vines and cultivated by 513 winegrowers. Administratively, 9 municipalities form part of the DOCa Priorat: Bellmunt del Priorat, Gratallops, El Lloar, El Molar, La Morera de Montsant (which includes the village of Scala Dei), Poboleda, Porrera, Torroja del Priorat, La Vilella Alta, and La Vilella Baixa. In addition, within the boundaries of DOQ Priorat are also the northern part of the municipality of Falset (the Masos de Falset area) and the eastern part of the municipality of El Molar (Les Solanes del Molar). La Morera de Montsant, Scala Dei, Gratallops, Torroja del Priorat, Porrera, and Poboleda formerly made up the Priorat of the Carthusian monastery of Scala Dei. The rest were included in the delimitation of the denomination of origin established in 1932, which defines the current territory of the DOCa Priorat. As a result of the expansion of vine cultivation and the quality of its wines, promoted, driven, and dominated by the Carthusian monks, the area gained worldwide renown, making it today one of the most important winegrowing regions in the world.

MAS DEL XES

The Mas de en Xes vineyard is Perinet’s largest, around 10.64 ha, divided into 60% north-facing slopes (Cabernet and Syrah) and 40% northeast-facing slopes (Garnacha and Mazuelo). Syrah and Cabernet are planted on terraces, while the Garnacha and Mazuelo vines grow on narrow ledges that resemble an amphitheater, offering an exceptional view of Montsant at an altitude of 400 meters. The vineyard was planted between 2000 and 2001. Harvesting is manual and spread out over time, due to the differences in grape ripening.

MAS VELL

The sunny orientation of this vineyard is its most distinctive feature; it faces south, producing grapes of exceptional ripeness. Unlike most areas in southern Priorat, where vines grow at a lower altitude (200-250 m), Mas Vell lies between 385 and 450 m. This elevation allows fruit aromas to be present in the wines along with notable acidity, giving them a beautiful and balanced ripeness. The vineyard covers 7.44ha, planted with Merlot, Syrah, Garnacha, and Cabernet. The vines are 17 years old, arranged on terraces and trellises. Both pruning and harvesting are carried out by hand.

PENDENTS

Pendents, located near Porrera, is the steepest plot in our vineyards. In some areas, the slope exceeds 30º. With a fully northeast-facing orientation (west), Pendents receives a strong influence from sea winds. Covering 4 hectares, this is the smallest vineyard planted at Perinet, although it enjoys great personality thanks to the purity of the landscape and the spectacular nature of the setting. The varieties planted are Mazuelo (Cariñena), Garnacha, and Cabernet.