During our small road trip through Eastern Spain we seized the occasion and drove through one of the most interesting wine regions of the moment. Priorato is located approximately 150 Km Southwest of Barcelona next to the river Ebro. The region is mostly mountainous and the vines are growing on rather steep slopes within a dramatic landscape. Taking the tiny roads can be dizzying, especially when they are winding around these steep slopes and a local follows closeby and nearly pushes your car.
We drove through Gratallops, Torroja and Porrera, 3 villages where some famous winemakers such as René Barbier (Clos Mogador), Alvaro Palacios, Rotllan Torra and Cims de Porrera have their cellars.
The interesting story concerning this region is that it was already on the way to disappear from the wine map, when 20 years ago, French winemaker René Barbier came there and realized the potential of old Carinena vines within this microclimate. Since then, the region is booming and makes some of the most acclaimed Spanish wines.
Unfortunately we drove through the region on a national holiday, so we couldn’t try any wine at the wineries. Nevertheless this is one of the most beautiful regions to visit and the drive was definitely worth it. Here are some impressions.