TERROIR AL LÍMIT | PRIORAT

Terra de Cuques Blanc 2021

This rich, textured blend of Grenache Blanc (50%) and Pedro
Ximenez (50%) is only the second white wine to grace the
Terroir al Limit family. The clay soils of El Molar, an ancient
mining village at the southern end of Priorat, offer an ideal
haven for 25-year old Pedro Ximenez (PX) vines that yield
fruit of unparalleled finesse from these north-facing vineyards. The power of the skin-contact PX is softened with the grenache blanc from the slate/clay of La Morera del Montsant.

The grapes are hand harvested, fermented in whole bunches
for 3 - 5 days in inox and cement tanks, and then aged for
8 months in cement. The traditional combination of extraction, oxidation and maceration encourages sleek and structured layers – almost more red in style than white – to emerge on the palate and convey the unmistakable voice of the sites. From an initial rich, fino-like character emerges a wine of tension and freshness, racy citrus layers of white currant, mirabelle and spring flowers. A singular expression that belies the full finesse and depth of the region.
Location Grenache Blanc from La Morera del Montsant and Pedro Ximenez from El Molar
Age 25 - 30 years old
Altitude 400 - 600 meters
Varieties 50% Grenache Blanc
50 % Pedro Ximenez
Soils Slate/clay for Grenache Blanc
and clay for Pedro Ximenez
Alcohol 13 %
DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET
Location Grenache Blanc from La Morera del Montsant and Pedro Ximenez from El Molar
Age 25 - 30 years old
Altitude 400 - 600 meters
Varieties 50% Grenache Blanc
50 % Pedro Ximenez
Soils Slate/clay for Grenache Blanc
and clay for Pedro Ximenez
Alcohol 13 %
DOWNLOAD FACT SHEET
  • ELEVAGE
  • REVIEW
After several years experimenting with different casks, sizes and producers, we now work with a combination of 500-litre barrels and different sizes of Stockinger, thus guaranteeing the most respectful elevage to allow the wine to rest before early bottling. Terra de Cuques is bottled after around 16 months of ageing.
Reviewed by Luis Gutiérrez | The Wine Advocat

The yeasty and aromatic 2016 Terra de Cuques was just about to be bottled, so I tasted the final blend, mostly Pedro Ximenez and 10% Muscat that was kept with skins and stems for a week and then with the fine lees until bottling around one year from the vintage. It has tannic structure and a seriousness on the palate, flavors and an aromatic profile very different from the other two whites from Terroir al Límit.

I don’t remember such a strong yeasty character from previous vintages, but there is also austere minerality on the palate, a characteristic that I think is very nicely transmitted by the Pedro Ximenez. It’s a fresh and balanced vintage. They expect to fill some 15,000 bottles in February 2018.