2016 Terroir al Límit Vi de la Vila de Torroja, Priorat, Spain

White capsule (Vi de la Vila, or village wine). 

Huber’s village wine is an equal split of Cariñena (Carignan) and Garnatxa (Garnacha/Grenache) from vineyard parcels dotted around the high-country hamlet of Torroja, where Terroir al Límit is based. At 366 metres above sea level, these are some of the highest, old-vine red sites in Priorat. The youngest vines that provide fruit for this blend are more than 50-years-old—and most of the vines sit on llicorella slate soils apart from a portion of the Garnatxa, planted on much scarcer limestone clay. This cuvée is also the beneficiary of any declassified material from TaL’s top vineyards. 

Made with 100% whole bunches in 2016, the Torroja was raised in 3,500-litre Stockinger foudres for 18 months. It’s a brilliantly perfumed and floral wine offering ripe red fruits, milk chocolate and spice from the subtle oak. The palate is really fine and medium-bodied—Burgundy weighted even—with notes of fresh plum, cranberry, and again, that subtle and delicious cocoa note. The finish is fresh and dry with very fine tannins. It’s a wine that will clearly benefit from air and a couple of years in bottle but it’s also absolutely delicious now.

‘The 2016 Torroja Vi de Vila is the village wine that is bottled earlier than the others. The oak is neatly folded into the wine, which is quite fruit-driven and fresh but with clout—especially now that they have the Historic as an entry-level wine, this can show a little more complexity. The blend of Cariñena and Garnacha in equal parts works very well. The fruit is red rather than black, and the texture is silky, with very fine tannins and great acidity. It's very lively, aromatic and open, fluid, elegant and fresh.’