2016 Terroir Al Limit Soc. Lda. Priorat Torroja Vi de la Vila

Community Tasting Notes (7) Avg Score: 91.2 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View carlo marx's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/18/2023 - carlo marx Likes this wine: 91 Points

  No elaborate notes on this one. But Cariñena and Garnacha in perfect balance. Dark, rustic, juicy, balanced.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/22/2021 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  Labeled "Vi de Vila", aka. "village wine" as the wine is a blend of Carignan (50%) and Grenache (50%) from 25-40 yo vineyards around Torroja del Priorat. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated for 10 days with the skins and stems. Aged for 18 months in a Stockinger foudre and used 500-liter demi-muids. Total production 20686 bottles. 13,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
  
  Deep and dark plummy red color that permits quite little light through. Fascinating, both ripe and still quite earthy and savory nose with aromas of juicy boysenberries and blueberries, tobacco, some leathery funk and horse stables, a little bit of gamey meat, light inky notes, a flatulent hint of skunky reduction and a touch of damp leaves. The wine is dry, slightly wild and somewhat tough on the palate with a medium body and intense, crunchy and quite savory flavors of wizened dark fruits and tart cranberries, wild strawberries, savory notes of game and leather, some ferrous notes of blood, light sweeter nuances of raisins and dried fruits, a hint of stony minerality and a touch of licorice. The overall feel is quite stern and sinewy, thanks to the high acidity and quite ample - even assertive - tannins. The lengthy finish is ripe yet savory with quite pronounced tannic grip and intense flavors of wizened dark fruits, some tart lingonberry notes, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light stony mineral nuances, hints of tobacco and leathery funk and a touch of juicy red fruits.
  
  A wonderfully stern, savory and positively tough Priorat that is a far cry from those massively big, voluptuous and high-alcohol fruit bombs the region is known for. My first guess was a traditionalist Bandol, due to the wine's savory, leathery and gamey overall taste and firm tannins, after which I guessed more natural Portugal, perhaps from Dão. My third guess was Priorat, as I remembered how Terroir Al Límit makes Priorat wines nobody ever thinks that they come from Priorat - that's some reverse psychology there. Other attendees guessed, among other places, Burgundy - while I never thought the wine could be a Pinot Noir, I did agree that the wine is surprisingly Burgundian in style, especially for a Priorat. Not a polished, pure and fresh Burgundy, mind you, but a traditional, rustic red Burgundy that is quite rough around the edges. That's the style we're talking about. I can imagine this style of wine is not for everyone - it is very stern, structure-driven and quite unapologetic in its lack of emphasis on fruit - but if you prefer depth, character and structure over fruit, ripeness and concentration, this might be just up your alley. A fantastic Priorat, easily among my favorites from the region.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Luke Wine's profile
  • Report Issue

  6/8/2020 - Luke Wine Likes this wine:

  Like it a lot. Red fruited, mid weighted with good energy & fine tannin. Delicious wine, perhaps if you are seeking a sweet, oaky Priorat this might not be your thing - but if you like layered, transparent & perfumed red wines that speak of place don't hesitate.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Stanrocks's profile
  • Report Issue

  5/7/2020 - Stanrocks Likes this wine: 91 Points

  I would like the other who rated that wine to have the same I have tonight, really, as I haven’t had a really good terroir wine like this one in a while... nose is prune and liquorice, a hint of smoky china ink, Flowery and peppery comes after aeration. Palate is more strawberry and dark cherry, very fluid and subtle, no alcohol or over ripeness showing... not super long but very enjoyable and drinkable...

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Stanrocks's profile
  • Report Issue

  3/4/2019 - Stanrocks Likes this wine: 89 Points

  Could be a better rating but the wine does not really reach the standard of a 90... yet is very interesting, as it really shows a nice fresh palate, but some burned rubber notes on the nose doesn’t match the rest of the wine. Tasted on 2/3 days after opening 2 other bottles which were corked... The fruit is present on the palate, as a small reduction is still going after a couple of hours so I copper coin the wine, then the flinty style show a bit. Palate is juicy, and fresh, will improve in the next 2/3 years I guess. Good wine still

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 7 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.