In barely 15 years, the wines from Priorat have gone from
obscurity to the most expensive in Spain, with an international reputation for
high quality. Yields in Priorat are low, and the grapes are small. However, this
leads to a greater concentration of taste. The steep slopes ensure the vineyards
have less direct exposure to sunlight than other wine regions, so the fruit has
a different structure, with better acidity and lower pH, and less prone to
oxidation.
The wines produced are dark purple in colour, with a high
alcoholic level (15-16%), and a typical mineral taste. The high acidity, pH 3.4
or less, helps enliven and freshen the wine.
Priorat grapes
The classic grapes of the area are the garnacha and cariñena.
Forty percent of all vineyards in Priorat are growing the garnacha since it
thrives in a hot, dry environment, is fruity and rich in sugar. Half of the
vineyards cultivate the cariñena, which contains a lot of tannins. French
cabernet sauvignon and syrah are also grown, producing wines of great
complexity.
Priorat's unique vineyards produce a wine of unusual quality,
but the recent success would not have been achieved without human ingenuity and
a resolve to outshine the competition. Priorat is a hotbed of wine innovation,
with many variations in practices such as retention of stems, maceration times
and use of new oak barrels for two years before bottling. Wine growers are
provided with technical help by wine cooperatives. Visits are made to major
international wine fairs to see and taste the competition. Vineyards are
harvested separately to demonstrate to the individual grower the objectivity of
the payment system, which varies by a factor of 12 depending on the quality of
the grapes.
To try and ensure that quality is maintained, innovations
continue, and wines stay ahead of the competition, Europe's first Science and
Technology Park specialising in wine research and development is being
constructed in Falset, the heart of the Priorat wine growing area.
Priorat Science Park of Wine Technology
A Science Park of Wine
Technology opened in 2009 in Falset, the heart of the Priorat wine
growing area. It is intended as an international centre of wine research and
development, ensuring the region continues to stay ahead of the wine
competition. It includes a series of pilot plants and facilities to assist new
business start-ups.
The Wine Technology Park is one of four new tourism-related
Research and Development institutions in the region.
New Tourism-related
Science and Technology Parks in the Tarragona Region
