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Profile of Clos de l'Obac Winery
Wine Map Priorat
Profile of Priorat Wine Region
Although the official name of the winery is Costers del Siurana, it is principally known by its
famed Priorat wine brand, Clos de l'Obac. Clos de l'Obac is a powerful red wine, made with a
blend of five grape varieties, and with grapes from fifty year old Garnacha and Cariñena vines.
This leading winery is located in the pretty wine village of Gratallops, right next to Rene
Barbier's Clos Mogador. Clos de l'Obac is run by the visionary Carles Pastrana. Carles Pastrana is
passionate about his wines and he is one of the most charming wine personalities in Spain. Carles
is credited with being one of the first in the region, along with Alvaro Palacios, Rene Barbier
and Josep Lluis Perez, to realize the enormous potential of Priorat as a wine region. This was in
the 1980's. However, Carles Pastrana's family was already in the region in the '70's, discovering
old vines and doing experimental viticulture.
"Recognising an unusual combination of topography, soil and climate, a unique "terroir", and a one
thousand year old wine-making tradition, the founding families started a project to re-awaken the
spirit of the old Carthusian oenologists, by rebuilding the steep, slatey terraces and replanting
the vines. The old vineyard slopes were surveyed, the walls were repaired, the stones were cleared
by hand, access paths were built. We resuscitated the old Garnacha, Tempranillo and Cariñena
vines, especially the latter, some of which were over fifty years old. We introduced the Cabernet
Sauvignon, the Merlot and the Syrah.. The first vintage of Clos de l'Obac was that of 1989.
Miserere was born in 1990 and Dolç de l'Obac in 1991. Since then, wine professionals from all over
the world have been recognising the greatness of this family of Priorat wines. We shall continue
to strive to produce the finest wines from our land; we use only our own grapes. It is our aim
to go on improving our products, to achieve the complexity, the balance, the harmony, the grace
which define them and which have earned such international fame for the wines of
COSTERS DEL SIURANA- Carles Pastrana"
The vineyards of Clos de l'Obac and the other brands, Miserere, Kyrie and the elixir sweet red
Dolç de l'Obac, are spread out over various parcels. The beautiful Mas d'En Bruno estate, one of
the biggest parcels, boasts a 13th century villa surrounded by land that has had working vineyards
for literally hundreds of years. The Mas (Catalan word for big country estate, mansion or villa)
is currently being restored by the Pastrana Jarque family. The winery, in Gratallops, is tiny,
spotlessly clean and has a lovely tasting room. Cellar Tours can organize a VIP visit to Clos de l'Obac as part of a culinary tour
of Priorat or as a customized luxury wine tour.
Contact us on info@cellartours.com for more info.
Wine Spectator
Priorat Dolç de L'Obac 2001- "Like a chocolate-covered cherry, this red is sweet
and fresh at once, with lively fruit, round tannins and enough acidity to keep it lively.
Not for dinner, but a nice match with chocolate desserts. Drink now through 2009. 500 cases
imported."
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Wines
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| Miserere |
Dry Red. Blend of 27% Garnacha, 10% Cariñena, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Tempranillo and 10% Syrah, made with vines from the 80ha estate of "El Mas d'en Bruno", 14.5% alc. Extensive aging in French oak. |
| Clos de l'Obac |
Dry Red. Blend of 35% Garnacha, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 10% Merlot and 10% Cariñena. Made with vines from the following estates: Planassos, Les Comes, Vinya Gran, La Vaca, Guinarderes, el Camí de Lloà, la Capella and el Bellvís. 12 months in new French oak. |
| Dolç de l'Obac |
Sweet Red. Blend of Garnacha tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah. Made with grapes from an exclusive 1 hectare vineyard "El Camp dels Espills", a small property located at the bottom of the "Barranc de l'Abadia" valley. The unique microclimate allows the grapes to become fully ripe without any danger of botrytis.The fermentation and a long maceration both take place in new, French oak. 16% alc. |
| Kyrie |
Dry White. Blend of 35% Garnacha blanca, 35% Macabeo, 30% Xarel.lo and 5%Moscatel de Alexandría. This exquisite wine is cask fermented and aged for 6 months in new French oak. 14% alc. White wine to lay down. As only 3,500 bottles are made, this wine is definitely for collectors. Anecdote: The name "Kyrie" is old Greek for "God" |
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Address:
Costers del Siurana
Address: Manyetes s/n, 43737 Gratallops (Tarragona), Spain
Tel: +34 977 83 92 76
Fax: +34 977 83 93 71
Web: www.costersdelsiurana.com
Email: info@costersdelsiurana.com
Winery Details
D.O.: Priorat/ Priorato
Founded: 1987
Owner: : Pastrana & Jarque
Winemaker: Isidre Sanahujes and Joan Jarque
Area under Vine: 1,500 ha, 50 ha own estate vineyards
Oak: 200 French barrels
Vine Training: "Espalier" and Free standing
Age of Vines: 10-100 year old vines, "En Vaso" and "Cordon Royat" pruning methods
Grape Varietals: Garnacha Tinta (Grenache Noir), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena (Carignan), Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), Syrah, Merlot, Garnacha Blanca (Grenache Blanc), Cartuxá
, Macabeo, Xarel.lo, Moscatel de Alexandría
Soil: Slate ("llicorella")
Harvest: By hand, in 20 kilo boxes
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More Information:
If you would like Cellar Tours to customize a Wine Tour or day trips in Spain, for individuals or groups, contact us on: info@cellartours.com
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Wine Tour Priorat
Cooking weekends in Spain's most artsy city, Barcelona. Indulge in a colorful market tour of the Boqueria (with a professional chef), a VIP cooking class in a stylish Barcelona loft, a wine tasting excursion to the boutique wine region of Priorat where you will also visit a 12th century Hamlet...