Owned and crafted by one of the three winemakers credited with putting Priorat DO (now a DOQ) on the map back in 1989, Daphne Glorian is today making wines as fine as any produced in Spain. Her style has been a work in progress over the years and today blends a variety of aging vessels including barrique, amphorae and concrete eggs. The planting on the estate consist of 75% Garnatxa (Garnacha), 20% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon of a variety of age. Both wines – Clos Erasmus & Laurel – are certified organic with biodynamic practices also employed. Production is miniscule with a mere 3,000 bottle of Clos Erasmus produced, while Laurel is produced in larger volume with roughly 24,000 bottles made. This is a winery to follow closely and to buy and cellar with reckless abandon! Yes, the wines are that stunning!
2014 Clos I Terrasses, Priorat, Laurel (RT 94+) While I’ve had this wine many times in the past, and from numerous vintages, this was the first bottle from a six pack of 2014 that I bought on release. A blend of 80% Garnatxa, 10% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a wine where Daphne’s creative thinking has evolved over the years and this vintage was aged in a combination of used oak barriques, old 20 hl oak tanks, cement eggs and amphorae. The result is mind blowing as this deeply hued, nearly opaque wine delivers astonishingly pure aromatics with notes of blackberry, deep blue fruits and layers of spice and schist minerality emerging from the glass. The mouthfeel is nothing short of superb with its magnificent balance, pure fruit delivery and long, caressing finish punctuated with perfectly ripe tannin. This is one seriously kick ass wine. I suggest buying it in quantity! Drink now (with ample air) – 2034+
2013 Clos I Terrasses, Priorat, Clos Erasmus (RT 97+) Aged for 20 months in a combination of new and used barriques, along with some concrete egg and amphorae, this blend, which varies slightly from vintage to vintage, is 75% Garnatxa and 25% Syrah in this vintage. One of the benchmark wines of Priorat, this dark, dense behemoth reveals aromatics of the Laurel, but amped up and revealing even more finesse. Notes of perfectly ripe, dark rich garnacha fruit built on a frame of slate-minerality, dusty earth and gorgeous Asian spices emerge from the glass. It evolves continuously in the glass, revealing many hidden dimensions. The finesse and balance are extraordinary, the fruit perfectly defined as the finish goes on for an eternity. I have the greatest confidence this will evolve into a perfect wine with proper cellaring. Stunning in every way! Drink 2025 – 2043+