Cal Batllet-Marc Ripoll, Gratallops d'Iatra, DOQ Priorat, Spain, 2017

Producer Profile

Marc Ripoll returned to his family vineyards to change their fortunes.

The family had been reduced to selling their harvests to the local co-operative, but he set about renovating the dilapidated winery and now Cal Batllet is regarded as one of the leading estates from their village of Gratallops. Marc is part of the new generation of winemakers in Priorat who are reclaiming the region for their own. Focusing on a style that puts the local terroir as its heart and looking to create wines of elegance and refinement, light years away from what made Priorat the darling of the American critics. An organic approach in the vineyard and use of wild yeast and barrel fermentation all come together to create wines expressive of the individual sites they come from. The 90 year old bush vines planted in steep hillsides on slate soil all create personalities of their own, none more so than the nearly extinct Escanyavella grape, which translates from Catalan as ‘old lady strangler’!

Viticulture

The organically certified vineyards are up to 50 years old and planted on the terraces at Gratallops.

Winemaking

A spontaneous fermentation is carried out in vat at a controlled temperature (max 26ºC), with manual overpumpings and 30-day maceration. A soft extraction with minimal intervention and respect for the fruit.

Oak Ageing

Time: 14 Months
Type: French 225 Litre
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 3

Tasting Note

d’Iatra is very much a reflection of the style of wine made in Gratallops. It is a round, balanced and a ripe wine, which is still fresh and full of fresh red berry fruit and minerals – a great wine, which is mouth filling but full of freshness and balance.

Food Matching

This stands up well to roast meats such as lamb.