How Hippies and Dreamers Transformed Priorat Into a Success Story

It was a spectacular, if slightly eerie setting for a party.

The floodlit ruins of the Escaladei monastery, tucked beneath the rugged, brooding hill of the Montsant, were once the home of contemplative Carthusian monks. But earlier this month, those medieval walls witnessed an event that was anything but monastic.

Wine lovers traveled from all over the world to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of "modern" Priorat, dancing and drinking until the early hours.

The story of how a bunch of hippies, dreamers and academics came to rescue a historic appellation, as much by luck as judgment, is inspirational.

René Barbier was the first to recognize the potential of Priorat, with its old vines, steep slopes and brown slate (llicorella) soils. He started out by making a bit of wine for himself from purchased grapes, and then planted a small vineyard of his own in 1978. A few kilometers away another, rather more qualified winemaker, José Luiz Pérez, who was teaching enology in nearby Falset, was also experimenting with local grapes in his spare time.

In 1989, the two joined forces with eight other people to produce a wine in a co-operative venture in the town of Gratallops.

"It was like a commune," remembers one of their number, Daphne Glorian of the now-celebrated Clos Erasmus. "We used to drive around visiting old vineyards in a pink van with purple seats."

The 10 merry pranksters produced one wine in that first vintage and bottled it under different labels. "Critics said they preferred some to others," remembers Barbier, "but it was all the same stuff."

At the party earlier this month, the 10 bottles were displayed side by side in a glass presentation case. Some of the producers – Clos Ballesteros-Jové, Clos Garsed, Clos Baste-Krug, Clos des Llops and Clos Setien – gave up after a vintage or two, but five of them – Clos Erasmus, Clos (now Finca) Dofi, Clos Mogador, Clos (now Mas) Martinet and Clos de l’Obac – continued to produce some increasingly celebrated wines. The co-operative closed by 1991, but the remaining five members were ready to do their own thing by then.

It was those surviving pioneers who held the party to celebrate the anniversary of that first communal vintage, with one significant omission. Somewhere along the way – and for reasons that I couldn’t get to the bottom of – René Barbier (Clos Mogador), Daphne Glorian (Clos Erasmus), José Luis Perez (Mas Martinet) and Alvaro Palacios (Finca Dofi) fell out with Carles Pastrana (Clos de l’Obac). He’s still making wine, but was definitely not on the guest list.

He was partly there in spirit, however, as were the other five, long-gone members of the commune. One of the most moving moments of the night came when we tasted a bottle of the 1989 made by the co-operative. The tannins were a little dry, the flavors mature, mushroomy and slightly balsamic, but the wine was still alive; an intriguing, one-off cuvée of Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and – at its core – Grenache and Carignan. It was a fitting tribute to what Alvaro Palacios called "a group of romantics full of enthusiasm for a project".

How important were the pioneers? The first thing to be said is that there were still 800 hectares (2000 acres) of vines in Priorat when they started, compared with 6000 during the region's peak at the end of the 18th century, and around 2000 today.

There were also a handful of existing producers, most notably Cellers de Scala Dei. But the area was on its knees. The name "Gratallops" means "pleases the wolves" in Catalan and that was rather appropriate in 1989. "There were no children in the street, just old people," remembers José Luis Pérez. Or as Daphne Glorian puts it: "It was like landing on the moon."

Without the gang of five (Carles Pastrana deserves some credit, too), Priorat wouldn't have become what it is today – one of the three best red-wine regions in Spain. Historically, Priorat produced high-octane red wines that sometimes contained as much as 18 percent alcohol and were made in a "rancio" style. The wines are still rich and full-bodied – no surprise, given the region’s heat and harsh, burnished conditions – but Priorat today bears very little resemblance to what it was before 1989. The wines are increasingly well balanced, relying less on alcohol and oak and more on freshness and fruit.

The pioneers inspired others to come to the region. Without them, there would be no Mas d’en Gil, Vall Llach, Terroir al Limit, Mas Alta, Ferrer Bobet, Familia Nin Ortiz, Mas Doix, Viñedos de Ithaca, Cims de Porrera or (very important for international recognition) Torres, all of whom make good to excellent wines.

Growing grapes is tough in Priorat – yields are minuscule, and the land is wild and unforgiving – and corresponding prices can seem high to consumers used to the easy charms and affordability of most Rioja. But Priorat is more exciting, diverse and terroir-driven today than it has ever been.

They might not have shouted about it, but those Carthusian monks, who drank wine on a daily basis and planted some of the region's best vineyards, would surely have approved.

Tim's picks from the Priorat Party:

2012 Clos Erasmus 
Daphne Glorian’s wine is a silky blend of Grenache and Syrah, which nods towards her time spent working in Burgundy. It's a comparatively elegant style of Priorat, despite the high alcohol that is typical of the region. Silky, spicy and aromatic, with nuanced vanilla oak and flavors of blackberry, licorice and red fruits. Long and refreshing on the palate, this will develop for another decade. 97 points.

2013 Finca Dofi 
You will have to wait until this blend of Grenache with 5 percent Cariñena is bottled (I tasted a barrel sample), but it will be worth it. Alvaro Palacios' wines were particularly good in 2013. This is typically dense and compact, with sweet oak, structured, but fine-grained tannins with a compact mid-palate of dark, brooding, sun-kissed fruit and a fresh, mineral finish. 94 points.

2012 Mas Martinet Clos Martinet 
The top wine from Sara Pérez (daughter of José luis) is a typically assured performer from 2012. The nose is highly aromatic, with notes of violets, blackberry and bramble and subtly interwoven oak. On the palate, it's smooth and polished with a bright, minerally freshness underpinning the weight and concentration of the wine. Very drinkable young, but this will age gracefully for 10-plus years. 95 points.

2012 Clos Mogador
The youngest-tasting of the three 2012s we sampled from the pioneers, with the highest alcohol and the most marked oak at this point. The wine needs time to settle in to itself and digest the barrel-derived flavors, but it’s typically wild and unruly, with rich, fruit cake-like flavors, marked acidity and a touch of reduction. One to lay down and leave for at least another five years. 91 points.