Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses 2022

I tasted this still-unbottled regional red in January 2024. The 2022 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes has grapes from 53 vineyards in seven villages, and in 2022, it was 60% Garnacha, 39% Cariñena and 1% white grapes, higher in Cariñena than in recent years in this extremely warm and dry year. It fermented with indigenous yeasts in oak vats with part of full clusters, had a 41-day maceration and should spend some 12 months in French barriques and larger barrels. It's fully ripe at 14.5% alcohol while keeping a pH of 3.55 and 5.05 grams of acidity (measured in tartaric acid per liter of wine), parameters of very good freshness. This is always a little earthier and with a beautiful touch of rusticity showing the character of Priorat. It's ripe without excess; all the 2022s show surprisingly fresh for such a warm and dry year. They expected to fill 113,000 bottles around March 2024.

This sleek, well-balanced red leads with a savory touch of mountain herbs, a subtle accent for flavors of ripe mulberry and black raspberry, backed by hints of iron, paprika, vanilla and white pepper. A firm frame of plush-textured tannins provide definition through the lingering finish. Garnacha and Samso. Drink now through 2037. 10,000 cases made.