| Type | Red wine |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| Grapes | |
| Producer | |
| Allergens | Contains sulfites |
| Alcohol contenti | 14.5% |
| Production | 1,500 - 2,500 bottles |
Spec sheet
The wine
Les Aubaguetes is one of the wines of a particular place (vinos de paraje) made by Álvaro Palacios, and perhaps the most traditional Priorat of all those he produces. A very special wine that combines the Mediterranean character of Bellmunt with the freshness of a shady vineyard. Another top-range wine, made predominantly from Garnacha and Cariñena, with some very seductive floral aromas and pure, intense fruit.
This wine’s name is derived from the Catalan word obagues ('in the shade') and its fruit was used in the blend of the Les Terrasses wine until it began to have its own label. 2015 was its first vintage.
What does this wine taste like?
Les Aubaguetes reveals a very striking aromatic complexity, starting off with the citrusy notes typical of the Garnacha, ripe forest fruits and a mineral tinge, to which balsamic hints of Mediterranean herbs and eucalyptus are soon added. Floral touches and some aniseed and liquorice notes are refreshing on its nose, endowing it with subtlety and refinement.
On the palate it’s intense, with earthy but pleasant tannins, refined and robust at the same time. It proves juicy and balanced, turning the profundity of the old vines and the Priorat’s harshness into flavours of great purity.
A very long finish, almost saline.
Drinking and storing
It should be drunk from a large-capacity wine glass at a temperature of about 16 ºC. A light decanting will help to enhance its expressive capability.
After its fifth year in bottle it will reach its full expression, remaining in optimum condition until 10-12 years after its vintage year.
Food pairing
Grilled red meats, venison and other game make perfect partners.
Ratings and awards
| 2023 | 96-99 PK | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 95-97 PK | ||
| 2021 | 98+ PK | ||
| 2020 | 98 PK | 99 SK | |
| 2019 | 97 PK | 97 PN | 98 SK |
| 2018 | 97+ PK | 96 PN | 96 SK |
PK: ParkerPN: PeñínSK: Suckling
Wine critics reviewsReviews by Parker
Customer reviews
Winemaking
100% destemmed and a gentle pressing. Fermentation with native yeasts in oak vats with stirrings. Spontaneous malolactic also in wood. 40-55 days of maceration and ageing in oak barrels of different sizes for 14-18 months.
| Vinification material | Wood |
|---|---|
| Ageing period | Between 14 and 18 months |
| Type of wood | French oak |
Vineyards
Les Aubaguetes
Estate-owned vineyard giving the wine its name, planted at the beginning of the 20th Century (1901). 1.79 hectares in size, lying on a steep, shady slope facing northwards in Bellmunt del Priorat. Situated at an altitude of 230-288 metres, the Garnacha and Cariñena (mainly) vines grow surrounded by holm oaks and pine groves. The sunshine received is much less than in other vineyards (the sun disappears at 10 o’clock in the morning) and full ripeness is slower. Yields are extremely low (12.6 hl/ha), which results in the grapes having an exceptional concentration.
This stunning slate-strewn vineyard is in the process of being ranked as a Gran Vinya Classificada (equivalent to a grand cru), the highest distinction a wine-producing estate can aspire to in the Priorat QDO.
| Orientation | North |
|---|---|
| Surface area | 1.79 hectares |
| Altitude | 288.00 meters |
The winery
Álvaro Palacios
Álvaro Palacios came to the Priorat in 1989, to the town of Gratallops to be precise, following the lead of a group of local producers fully intending to pass on through their wines all the character of this land, full of its own brightness, with the shining Mediterranean sun, the gleaming slate in rocky crags, and brightly-coloured fennel in the olive groves. This is mystic, spiritual country tracing back its past to the Carthusian monks, who worked at cultivating vines...
