The name Clos Pissarra is derived from the Catalan word for slate, as this is the soil that covers the regions of Montsant (sacred mountain) and Priorat (priory), that lie about 85 miles southwest of Barcelona.
Priorat has quickly established itself as the premier wine region in Spain, producing wines of great intensity and concentration but yet remaining elegant and balanced. The most highly regarded sites comes from the villages of Bellmunt del Priorat, El Molar, El Lloar, Gratallops and Porrera.
Montsant has found a most comfortable niche, being described as a softer, more approachable version of Priorat, and a great value. The most highly touted sites in the appellation are found in the villages of Falset and Capcanes.
We do not belong to either the Priorat or the Montsant appellation system as we found the current process to join either one cumbersome, bureaucratic and not necessarily conducive to producing fine wine. A number of other high profile producers are now following in our footsteps in this regard. Thus we are neither Montsant or Priorat and instead are simply Clos Pissarra. Each of the vineyard bottlings does name the town where that vineyard lies and the grape varieties that make up the wine.
ARRELS DE CLOS PISSARRA, EL SOL BLANC (WHITE GRENACHE), FALSET
The Vineyard
El Sol Blanc is a two and a half acre vineyard that lies in the Montsant region in the province of Tarragona and surrounds the Clos Pissarra winery. This vineyard is named after the brutal sun that besieges the area every summer (“The White Sun” in Catalan). Made up entirely of White Grenache (Garnatxa Blanca in Catalan), and the soil is a mixture of clay and slate.
The 2019
An even vintage that produced beautifully balanced wines with mineral and white peach accents.
224 cases produced
The 2018
This was a warm, dry year which produced ripe, fleshy, concentrated wines.
210 cases produced
CLOS PISSARRA, LLUM (WHITE GRENACHE), BELLMUNT
The Vineyard
This is a vineyard in Bellmunt del Priorat that belongs to our vineyard manager, Ramon Marco, who planted about 1000 vines of White Grenache on a very steep hillside full of slate soil for us.
The 2019
This even vintage produced a wine of intense rose petal aromas with pear and leechee nut accents.
213 cases produced
ARRELS DE CLOS PISSARRA, ARISTAN (GRENACHE & SYRAH), FALSET
The Vineyard
In the Spring of 2017 we decided to combine our two parcels in Montsant, Arrels and Aristan, that are contiguous with one another and adjoin the winery, to create a single wine. The grapes now come from an eleven acre vineyard that is owned by chefs Gerald Hirigoyen (Piperade), Laurent Manrique (Café de la Presse), Sylvain Portay (formerly with Ducasse) and Master Sommelier Emmanuel Kemiji (Miura Vineyards). Made of about 60% 25 year old Grenache (Garnatxa in Catalan) vines with the remaining 40% being 12 year old Syrah vines., the soil is a mixture of clay and licorella (the local name for a soft-type of slate). The yields are cut back to a miserly one and a quarter tons to the acre as is typical of the best vineyards of this region.
The 2016
Maruxa Roel, my winemaker, and I both found that the blend of the two vineyards into a single wine made a more profound, deeper, richer version.
759 cases produced
CLOS PISSARRA, EL RAMON (GRENACHE, CABERNET SAUVIGNON, CARIGNAN & SYRAH), BELLMUNT DEL PRIORAT
The Vineyard
El Ramon (meaning the one known as Ramon in Catalan) refers to Ramon Marco, our vineyard manager, whose passion and commitment to his work is what helps us produce the quality of wines we strive for. This bottling is made up of three vineyards all within the town of Bellmunt del Priorat. The wine is made of about 50% Grenache, 20% Carignan, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah. Yields on these very steep hillsides, were the only thing you see on the ground is slate (locally referred to as licorella) are typically less than 1 ton to the acre!
The 2013
On the heels of the great 2012 comes another beauty. 2013 was an even vintage for the region and as such the grapes had ample time to develop evenly on the vines. The three vineyards carried a moderate load that was able to ripen fully and served to create very small, yet concentrated berries. The resulting wine exudes aromas and flavors of ripe berries together with red plums, complemented with a touch of dried herbs with a long and lingering aftertaste. 92 points Parker.
1137 cases produced
The 2012
2012 was a mildly warm vintage for the area and as such the grapes had ample time to develop evenly on the vines. The three vineyards carried a moderate load that was able to ripen fully and served to create very small, yet concentrated berries. The resulting wine exudes aromas and flavors of ripe black berries together with black plums, complemented with a touch of dried herbs with a long and lingering aftertaste. 91 points Parker
580 cases produced
CLOS PISSARRA, EL MONT (GRENACHE), EL LLOAR
The Vineyard
El Mont (meaning the mountain in Catalan) refers to a 1.5 hectare vineyard (3.75 acres) in the town of El Lloar in Priorat. The vineyard sits at the base of an incredible and very steep mountain and the whole scene creates a profound impression on any visitor. This vineyard is planted entirely to Grenache (Garnatxa). It is a trellised and terraced vineyard with a very unusual, for the region that is, blend of clay, granite and the more commonly found slate. Yields are less than ¾ of a ton per acre.
The 2012
The vintage gave us half of the normal crop we get from this vineyard, but what we lacked in quantity we more than made up in the incredible concentration and power this wine shows.
118 cases produced
CLOS PISSARRA, EL RIU (CARIGNAN), EL MOLAR
The Vineyard
El Riu (meaning “The River” in Catalan) is a 1 hectare vineyard (2.5 acres) in the town of El Molar in Priorat. We purchased this property at the end of 2004. This is an unusual vineyard in Priorat, as it sits on a slight slope above the Siurana River and although it is full of slate as is typical in the region, there is also a lot of gravel here, which is quite uncommon. The vineyard is planted to Carignan (Samso) vines that are over 100 years old! Yields are less than half a ton per acre.
The 2011
Another hot and dry year that created intensely flavored wines. This one is the essence of terroir- mushrooms, licorice, forest floor.
94 cases produced
CLOS PISSARA, LA VINYETA (GRENACHE & CARIGNAN), EL LLOAR
The Vineyard
La Vinyeta (meaning “The Vineyard” in Catalan) is about the same size as our El Riu vineyard, so about 2.5 acres. It lies in the town of El Lloar in Priorat. This is a classic Priorat “coster” or an extremely steep vineyard that is not terraced and is full of slate with almost no topsoil. The vineyard is planted approximately (as it is a field blend) to 80% Carignan (Samso)and 20% Grenache Garnatxa) vines that are over 125 years old and are not irrigated as is the case with all our vineyards in Priorat and Montsant! Yields are a miserly .4 tons per acre! In this rugged land, a throwback to another century, the vines really get to know the meaning of struggling.
The 2012
We harvested the normal 2 barrels that is all that we get from this amazing vineyard, but the concentration and finesse makes all the work we put into this vineyard more than worthwhile.
45 cases produced