🍷 Secret del Priorat

Secret del Priorat is a line of Familia Torres (red DOQ Priorat wine); years on this site: 2022.

According to the house, the grape varieties are Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Familia Torres is a family wine company in Vilafranca del Penedès (Catalonia), founded in 1870 by the brothers Jaime and Miguel Torres Vendrell; known for Mas La Plana and estates in several Spanish appellations.

DOQ Priorat is a qualified designation of origin in Catalonia: Bellmunt del Priorat, Gratallops, El Lloar, La Morera de Montsant with Escaladei, Poboleda, Porrera, Torroja del Priorat, La Vilella Alta, La Vilella Baixa and the north of Falset; the name has been protected in the EU since 13 June 1986. The soils are ancient slate called llicorella, and the Sierra de Montsant shelters the vines from cold northerly winds. The main varieties are Garnacha Tinta and Cariñena (Samsó); yields are capped at 6,000 kg/ha for red grapes and 8,000 kg/ha for white.

A DO name on the label means the wine is made from grapes of its own area under the rules of its product specification (pliego de condiciones): the rules set the permitted varieties and the limits on yield and wine output, and the designation’s Regulatory Board checks production and issues control labels. It is a rule of origin, not a verdict on taste.

Under EU rules, a wine label must show the designation of origin, the actual alcoholic strength, allergens such as sulphites, and the name of the bottler.

Why it matters to you. The designation on the label tells you where the grapes come from and under which rules the wine was made; the harvest year shows that different years are different wines. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol. The year on the label is the harvest year, so different years of the same line are different wines.