Priorat Wine Route
A wine region with two hearts that beat as one.
Two individual souls are intimately joined together. The DOQ Priorat is the elder of the two and was established in 1954, grouping together the territory that used to belong to the Prior of the Carthusian monastery of Santa Maria d’Escaladei. The soil has a high proportion of shale, known locally as llicorella. Nowadays, the DOQ Priorat has a place amongst the great wine growing regions of the world. The DO Montsant, the younger of the two, was founded in 2001. In a short time, the wines of the DO Montsant have gained the respect and admiration of the finest experts all around the world for their quality and strong personality.
The DOQ Priorat covers a small region of fewer than 20,000 hectares, of which only 1,600 hectares are planted with vines. The landscape is abrupt and challenging. Working the vineyards is a complicated, demanding and costly undertaking, and the vines produce very little compared to those of other wine regions. Priorat wines are known for their marked character and extraordinary complexity.
The DO Montsant includes 2,006 hectares of vineyards spread over a total of 35,676 hectares. The wines are dynamic; a mixture of accumulated wisdom and experience, and the energy and enthusiasm brought by the new generation of agriculturalists and winemakers.
Enter the wineries and take a stroll through the vineyards in an exceptional countryside, cultivated to perfection despite the difficulties of the land. Try to discover the differences between Priorats and Montsants. Select young or aged wines, the produce of valley vineyards or those cultivated by mules on the steep mountain slopes. Decide between signature wines or local village wines, those from the co-operatives or from private wineries, each one centred on the mineral-worth of the land and dedicated to the taste of the fruit.
Our wineries are keen to share their excellent wines and, above all, would like you to take part in their adventure and share their hopes for the future.