2021 Álvaro Palacios, La Baixada - Priorat - 3 Bottles (0.75L)

*La Baixada* is one of Álvaro Palacios’s most sought-after estate wines—_Vinya Classificada_—in Priorat. It is pure hillside Garnacha.

*Technical details:*

- *Winery:* Álvaro Palacios (founded in 1989 in Gratallops)
- *Designation:* D.O.Q. Priorat
- *Vineyard plot:* La Baixada, 1.30 ha in Gratallops, east-facing, at an altitude of 283 to 345 m
- *Soil:* Llicorella, layered siliceous slate from the Carboniferous, with andalusite (iron and copper). This is what gives it its minerality.
- *Variety:* 98% Garnacha + 2% Cariñena (some vintages mention a touch of Garnacha Blanca/Macabeo). 24-year-old bush vines, 7,400 vines/ha.
- *Viticulture:* Organic, plowing with mules, no irrigation, hand-harvested into crates.
- *Winemaking:* Fermented in wooden vats with indigenous yeasts, partly as whole clusters. Aged for 12 months in a large foudre.
- *Alcohol:* 14.5%
- *Production:* Very limited, ∼21.5 hl/ha. Around 2,000–3,000 bottles per year.

*Tasting notes:*

- *Appearance:* Deep crimson red, purple tones and violet hues. Dense.
- *Nose:* Very Priorat, yet refined: dried fruit, wild strawberries, bitter oranges, wildflowers, eucalyptus, earthy and spicy notes.
- *Palate:* Lively yet very polished tannins, velvety texture, hints of cocoa and exotic woods; sensual and fresh at the same time. Very long. Enormous aging potential: best from year 10 onward