Spanish Icons: Alvaro Palacios, L’Ermita

Alvaro Palacios, L’Ermita Gran Vinya Classificada, Priorat

First vintage: 1993

It’s difficult to be indifferent to the trademark purity of fruit, chiselled tannins and intense minerality of L’Ermita.

Hailing from the eponymous 1.44ha plot in Gratallops, in the heart of Priorat, the wine quickly became Alvaro Palacios’ most sought-after, following its first release in 1993, four years after the star winemaker started his namesake project in the Catalonian region.

See which must-try vintage of L’Ermita Ines recommends below

It’s one of the wines that rebuilt the image of Priorat, repositioning it as a region where heroic viticulture meets fine wine production. Unapologetically priced high from the outset, it instilled a new sense of confidence and possibility among the region’s new wave of producers.

Palacios came upon and purchased L’Ermita shortly before the inaugural vintage. The chapel (ermita) that overlooks the plot provided obvious, and poetic, branding.

Sitting between 350m and 430m, ‘it’s a vineyard touched by a special gift, where the schist and quartz north-facing plots lend Garnacha a transcendent emotional beauty’, Palacios says. The wine itself has gone through significant stylistic changes over the years.

Between 1993 and 2004, the final blend included 25% of Cabernet Sauvignon from another vineyard; since then, L’Ermita – awarded Gran Vinya Classificada status in 2017 – is made exclusively with the Garnacha and interspersed Cariñena and white grapes (Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo and Pedro Ximénez) planted within its perimeter in 1910 and 1939 (Palacios also planted some vines in 1996-1997).

This reflects an ever-sharper awareness of what makes L’Ermita and Priorat special – and collectible.

‘The land has taught us how to respect, with humility, the true historical legacy of Priorat,’ Palacios explains. ‘Today, we work with indigenous varieties, respecting local traditions, so as to prevail with the typicity and authenticity of what once was.’

The wine to try before you die

Alvaro Palacios, L’Ermita Gran Vinya Classificada, Priorat 2021 – 98pts

£700 (ib) – £1,160 Christopher Keiller, Crop & Vine, Cru, Ideal Wine Co, Millésima, VinQuinn US$1,300-$1,640 Benchmark, Naples Fine Wine, Pogo’s, Zachys

Garnacha and Cariñena with a small splash of white varieties; native-yeast fermented with 55% whole bunches, then aged in French oak foudres for 12 months. Refined, nuanced nose with finely etched aromas of plums, dried violets, black cherries and brambles.

Austere, unapologetic minerality on the palate supports the crunchy blueberry, plum and blackcurrant fruit. A fine layer of red apple peel and vermouth adds vibrancy and energy throughout.

An intriguing touch of tree bark adds a pleasant, earthy pull. Still coiled and timid, this will evolve beautifully for years to come.

Drink: 2025-2050 Alcohol: 14%

Spanish Icons: Alvaro Palacios, L’Ermita

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