Acidity in Priorat
 

Hello,
Last saturday we had a tasting of entry-level Priorat wines, mostly
Garnacha-based, with varying blends of CabSauv and Carinena.
Temperatures in Priorat are regularly 35+ centigrade in summer.
Despite this, all of the wines tasted had a fairly marked acidity.
Does anyone know if they regularly acidify in Priorat?
Cheers

Nils

Acidity in Priorat
 

In article >,
Mike Tommasi > wrote:

> Nils Gustaf Lindgren wrote:
> > Hello,
> > Last saturday we had a tasting of entry-level Priorat wines, mostly
> > Garnacha-based, with varying blends of CabSauv and Carinena.
> > Temperatures in Priorat are regularly 35+ centigrade in summer.
> > Despite this, all of the wines tasted had a fairly marked acidity.
> > Does anyone know if they regularly acidify in Priorat?
>
> I would hope not, at those prices.... I think altitude, steep schist
> slopes and low yields would explain the good acidity, and of course the
> presence of Mr. Carignan himself.
>
> Nils, I tried some white carignan recently in the hills high up behind
> Maury, interesting stuff with superb acidity for a southern white...

By entry level, do you have a price point for these? I seem to find the
best in the $30-$40 range but am always looking for better value.

Acidity in Priorat
 

Hello the both of you
Yes I was thinking of Carignan (and CabSauv) as a natural source of acidity,
but, still, at 35 degrees? I may have misunderstood this but I was given to
understand that at high temperatures, normal photosynthesis shuts down and
the grape will use the acid as a fuel, switching into an alternative
metabolism.

I see your point about the low night temperatures though.

CArignan blanc, then? Never tasted that. Good, apparently.

Here are the four priorats we tasted (we also had a sweet wine made from
dried grapes)
2005 Joanginé (Buil & Giné) EU 17 (at cellar door)
2004 Prior, Scala Dei SEK 198 (in Sweden)
2003 Finca el Puig, Gran Clos SEK 189 (in Sweden)
2004 Clos de l'Obac, Costers del Siurana SEK 499 (in Sweden)

Of these I preferred the Finca el Puig in terms of QPR - the Clos de l'Obac
was superior, but at more than double the price ... as it happens, we have a
bottle or two in the cellar.

And the exchange rate between euro and Swedish krona is (ouch) c. SEK 11 to
EU 1 (double ouch).

Cheers

Nils