Josep Grau Pedrabona 2022 Priorat

50% Garnacha Tinta, 50% Carignan, 1910 gepflanzt, die Reben sind also mehr als 110 Jahre alt; 5 Hektar, 5 kleine Parzellen rund um Gratallops, daher auche ein Orstwein "Vi de Vila"; umgeben von den typischen Steinmauern, Piorat typische Böden geprägt von Llicorella-Schiefer; Fermentation in konischen Stockinger-Holzfäassern (2500 l); Reifung für 14 Monate zum einen Teil in französischen 300 l Eichen-Barriques (neu und zweitbelegte) und zum anderen Teil in einem 870 l Stockinger Fuder, das von Stockinger maßgeschneidert wurde in der maximal möglichen Größe, um noch die schmale Treppe des Priorat Kellers hinunter zu kommen; lediglich 4666 Flaschen produziert; 13,5 % vol. 

- Notizen des Weinguts: „It offers a great range of aromas and flavors. Red and forest fruits and spices the most. Forest fruit, dried leaves, cedar and some notes of graphite. Wildflowers and some balsamic notes are giving a nice Mediterranean character. Wel ldefined, very expressive, vibrantacidity, refreshing and with a long nice finish. In catalan Pedra=stone and bona= good, so as the soil in Priorat is llicorella= stone we considered this name in honour of the good stone for producing such good wines.“

- 95 Punkte Josef Schreiblehner (03/2024): „Mittleres Rubinrot mit silbernen Wasserrand; wirkt kühl und fein im Duft, mit Aromen von dunklen und roten Beeren, Waldbeeren, ein Anflug von Heidelbeeren, nasse Steine, Waldboden, Mineralien, etwas Kräuter und ganz dezente Röstaromen; am Gaumen intensiv, druckvoll, mittelkräftiger+ Körper, sehr mundwässernd, frische, reife Säure, sehr engergiegeladen, mineralisch-salzig, frische Textur, feinkörnige Tannine von sehr guter Qualität; sehr beweglich, sehr langer, sehr mineralischer Abgang, entwickelt sich langsam und pflegt die feine Klinge, wie ein Eiskunstläufer der elegant und flink zu klassicher Musik über das Eis gleitet; sehr langer, salziger Abgang, sehr mineralischer, feiner, Rückgeschmack mit minzig-kräuterigen Anklängen. Unbedingt Dekantieren. Entwickelt sich langsam und stetig. Wenn man ihn nur kurz probiert, wird man ihn unterschätzen. Ein toller Wein! 95 Punkte. Während der 2021er mehr Power hat, verfolgt dieser 2022er einen feineren, burgundischen Stil! 13,5 % vol. Die Wahl des Glases macht bei diesem Wein einen großen Unterschied aus. Mir gefällt er am besten aus dem Zalto-Bordeaux-Glas."

From Revolution to Evolution: The Garnatxas and Cariñenas of Priorat & Montsant (Nov 2024) by Joaquín Hidalgo: “A long-time wine lover, Josep Grau made a small fortune in finance before turning to his passion. He started in Priorat in 1993, purchasing a vineyard in Capçanes, Montsant in 2003 and setting up his winery there a couple of years later. In 2016, he returned to Priorat with the purchase of a farmhouse in Gratallops. Grau has produced wines in diverse styles over the years. Today, he crafts finely tuned reds made with Garnatxa and Cariñena, delivering plenty of flavor without stylistic exaggeration and exploring the more delicate side of these varieties.“

- 94 Punkte VINOUS, Joaquin Hidalgo (11/2024): „The 2022 Pedrabona is a 50-50 blend of Garnatxa and Carinea from a vineyard planted in 1910 in Gratallops, Priorat. Aged in foudres, this light garnet wine offers a ripe, red-ruited core, along notes of undergrowth, graphite, and a faintly reductive, blood-like character. Dry, lean and full of energy, the compact palate lingers with a taut and refreshing flow, embodying hte essence of both sun and ripeness, yet possessing a cool, vibrant character: This is a beautiful combination of place and style. Drinking Window: 2025-2040“

 - 94 Punkte Parkers WINE ADVOCATE, Luis Gutiérrez (05/2024): „The village red from Gratallops, the 2022 Pedrabona is a 50/50 blend of Garnacha and Cariñena and is surprisingly floral and elegant, with moderate alcohol (the minimum 13.5% required by the appellation). It was produced with grapes from four vineyards in the village—Manyetes, Planassos, Vinyals and Aubada—that were hand-harvested and fermented with indigenous yeasts in troncoconic Stockinger foudres and some open-top barrels. The best Garnacha matured in 870-liter foudre and the rest in French oak barrels for nine months. It has a light and elegant profile, transcending the character of the year, with balance and very good integration of the varieties and the components, coming through as seamless and pure. 8,230 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2023. Drink Date: 2024-2029“

The wines from Josep Grau Viticultor, who works in Montsant (mostly) and a little in Priorat, seem to be getting better and better. This is a name that usually flies under the radar and deserves more recognition. In 2020, he purchased a vineyard in Capçanes, El Pas de l'Estudian, from which he now produces a new wine under that name. He now has 14.5 hectares of vines in the village of Capçanes and 18 in Marçá in Montsant and 10.5 hectares in Gratallops in Priorat.

I tasted wines from 2021 and 2022, two very different vintages. 2021 was marked by the January snowstorm that brought up to 80 centimeters of snow in some places and plenty of rain through the season, which was cooler than usual. He talks about "delicate, ethereal reds with good structure and depth." As for 2022, it was extremely dry with successive heat waves and was saved by 48 liters of rain on July 6th. The wines are more fragrant, but he tries to keep the line of the 2021s."

- 93 Punkte James Suckling, Zekun Shuai (10/2024): „A pure, transparent Priorat that’s ripe but fresh, nimble and bright, with berries and red cherries throughout. Medium-bodied, fresh and firm, with juicy berry fruit and a tight, expressive finish. Delicious now, but will hold well in the next few years.“

- 92 Punkte, TIM ATKIN, Special Report Catalunya 2024: „A blend of Garnacha and Carinyena, from 80 year old vines around Gratallops. A lighter fresher style of Priorat yet still packed with fruit. Gently reductive and quitetense, with citric, orange peel character to lighten the dark, brambly frits. 2022-2030“

- 92 Punkte, Guia Penin (2025 Scorings): „STYLE: balsamic herbs, herbal; COLOUR: Cherry; AROMA: grassy, red berry notes, ripe fruit; FLAVOUR: fruity, ripe fruit, easy to dring;“