Sense of Place: Priorat as seen by Terroir al Límit
“Hardcore” was my first impression when I first learned about Priorat. Remote, rugged, rocky and hard to reach, the scenery seems to throb with the same forbidding power as the slate-grown wines from gnarled bush vines. I wanted to share this as I think it gives excellent insight into the landscape, conditions and traditions of Priorat and Montsant through the eyes of a transformative grower.
Dominik Huber and his partner Tatjana Peceric are interesting for a number of reasons. Both fell head over heels for this unique pocket of Catalunya and have dedicated themselves to expressing this place in intricate detail. In this interview recorded in Melbourne, Dominik provides a useful window onto these singular territories and a relatably global attempt to chisel away at an ever-more-precious depiction of place through the medium of wine.
Know your étiquette: Côtes-du-Rhône Villages
The Rhône Valley is home to some of France’s most important appellation contrôlée wines, both in terms of prestige (think northern Syrah crus such as Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, and southern Grenache-based crus such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape) and production.
Côtes-du-Rhône can be a little uneven in quality, but find a good one and you’re onto a winner in terms of value and drinkability. Australian drinkers are au fait with the concept thanks to the rich heritage here of Shiraz and so-called GSM blends, as well as the current strides we’re enjoying with stupendous varietal Grenache.
We take a Rhône overview with the help of a tasty Côte-du-Rhône Villages wine from one of the region’s icons, Paul Jaboulet Aîné.