Les Manyes

Spain
Priorat
2019

Tasting Les Manyes blind is a thrilling exercise. Without a reference point to guide you, you find yourself wandering around the Mediterranean confused if you’re in Spain, the Rhône, or Piedmont. There are a couple of reasons why Les Manyes is so unique in the Priorat. Firstly, this is not Garnatxa on llicorella; instead, it is Garnatxa Peluda grown on clay soils rich in chalk and gypsum located in the mountains above the village of Scala Dei – making for a wine with a distinctly different mineral profile that one normally expects from the Priorat. Secondly, it is made by Dominik Huber, who farms these grapes biodynamically, harvests them a few weeks before his neighbors, ferments them whole-cluster with indigenous yeasts, favors infusion over extraction, and presses half-way through the fermentation before finishing the wine and aging it in concrete tanks to preserve its soulful, red-fruit driven character.

95 points
"A great ethereal nose, with savory herbs (rosemary and oregano), citrus such as grapefruit and blood orange, and wild spices with a hint of cement and bitter almond. The palate is effortlessly dry with sleek, grainy tannins that merge into the wild berries and dried herbs, leaving a pleasantly dry and bitter finish. Long, refined and savory, with a focus on wild Mediterranean herbs. Burgundy-like garnacha peluda. Tasted twice. Enjoy now in a pinot noir glass or hold."
James Suckling,
James Suckling
September 9, 2022
98 points
"A pale ruby-colored pure Garnacha from clay and limestone soils (a rarity in Priorat), the 2019 Les Manyes is very primary and fruit-driven, with an explosive nose of berries, wild herbs and flowers and it has a medium-bodied palate, juicy and with very fine chalky tannins. It's a very pretty Garnacha that is open and expressive. It has good ripeness and plenty of aromas, denoting proper ripeness of the grapes that had the time to develop aromas and flavors. This is ethereal but full of energy and light. It opens up and evolves very nicely in the glass. 1,868 bottles produced."
Luis Gutiérrez,
Wine Advocate
Sep 30, 2022

SKU/Code: 
DB3267-19
Product Line: 
Wine
Red
Varietal: 
Garnacha Peluda
Farming Type: 
Biodynamic