We visited Priorat in January 2015 after attending the WSET Diploma graduation ceremony in London.  When we were trying to put together our list of Priorat bodegas to visit, this one emerged as a bright star.

Peter, the winemaker, is a German transplant.  Although we’d made an appointment well in advance, he arrived as we were leaving.  Happily though, he held an impromptu tasting in the kitchen.

I loved his white wines.  After a week of the teeth-staining Garnacha/Carinena reds of Priorat, I was enthralled by the Garnacha Blanca whites.  And I thought I had left with one.

I was wrong.  And when the red wine poured from the bottle, I was one shocked Llama.

I’d been waiting to drink what I thought was a backboned, herbal white wine for more than 3 years.  But, this was a first world problem and the Torroja was delicious.

On the eyes, it’s translucent ruby with a stunning nose of purple violets, sweet black cherry, ripe Damson plum, dried herbs, and licorella rock dust.

The expressive palate is dry with strained tannins, flavours of deep black cherry, more purple plum, anise, thyme, tarragon, and rocky carpentry.

What a happy mistake.  WSET Very Good Plus