The rugged slopes of the Priorat alternate between forest and wild herbs, then groves of olive trees and vineyards. But the careful eye can detect that even the densest of forests in the Priorat bear traces of generations of farmers who have attempted to tame this wild landscape. Crumbling terraces overgrown with brush, tiny broken-down shelters from which one could escape the blisteringly hot mid- day sun, and the occasional twisted metal of an abandoned farming implement, the use of which has long since been forgotten.

The region would have remained raw and undiscovered had it not been for the pioneering four founders of the Priorat: Daphne Glorian, Alvaro Palacios, Josep Luis Perez, and Rene Barbier. With their efforts, the modern Priorat was born, and it has seen tremendous growth in the last thirty years.

While the Priorat is known for its rich and opulent wines, the region can also make fresher, more engaging wine styles. Wines that capture the more untrammeled side of Priorat and hearken back to the type common here before the region’s modern rebirth. Some of the most prestigious names and some of the most expensive bottlings in the Priorat now embrace this new, more elegant style. While we encourage you to try some of them, might we persuade you to start with Coster dels Olivers?

A new custom cuvée for Eric Solomon. Coster dels Olivers is a blend of 60% Carinyena, 30% Garnatxa, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on slate soils by the Sangenis family of Porrera. A combination of younger vine fruit, a relatively cooler northwestern exposure of the vineyards, a high percentage of Carinyena, and 12 months of aging in well-seasoned French and Hungarian oak barrels, ensures a brighter and juicier style of Priorat made for immediate enjoyment.