2019 Terroir al Limit Priorat Terra de Cuques Negre, Priorat

The red 2019 Terra de Cuques was produced with a 50/50 blend of Garnacha and Cariñena from different vineyards around the village of Torroja (there are some grapes from Poboleda, a cooler village). The grapes fermented in equal parts in stainless steel and concrete, then the wine matured in concrete and oak foudres (for the last time before they got rid of all the oak in the winery). It has the same alcohol on the label as the 2021 that I tasted next to it, as they didn't produce a 2020, but the profile of the wine is more open, juicy and expressive, a little more approachable if you like, with fine tannins and a pleasant mouthfeel.

93 points Luis Gutiérrez robertparker.com

Terra de Cuques Negre is the new name for Terroir al Límit's former Torroja Vi de Vila (village wine). This is primarily because Huber wanted to introduce fruit from a variety of villages, not only Torroja. This 2019 is the second release to include fruit from several small vineyards in the cooler, high-altitude terroirs of Poboleda and La Morera, heading northwards towards the Montsant ranges. Despite the new vineyards, the wine remains an equal split of Carignan and Grenache.

Over 350 metres above sea level, these vineyards are some of the highest old-vine red sites in Priorat (the youngest vines for this blend are more than 30 years old). Most of the vines sit on llicorella slate soils, except for a portion of the Grenache, which is planted on much sparser limestone/clay soils. This cuvée is also the beneficiary of any declassified material from Terroir al Límit’s top vineyards. Made with 100% whole bunches, the grapes were harvested by hand and layered into tank, where their weight produced just enough juice to begin fermentation. The wine was raised in 3,500-litre Stockinger foudres and a variety of concrete tanks for 14 months.