The World’s Great Wine Routes (XI): “Priorat, Catalonia’s Hidden Jewel”
A definitive guide for the wine tourist
Spain’s most expensive appellation turns 40
Priorat is the story of a dying region brought back to life by the obsession of a handful of wine “madmen”. In the 1980s, this county in the province of Tarragona was one of the most depopulated areas of Catalonia. Its century-old Garnacha and Cariñena vineyards, rooted in volcanic slate soils known as llicorella, produced bulk wine with no recognised value.
Everything changed when a group of five winemakers—René Barbier, Álvaro Palacios, Carles Pastrana, Josep Lluís Pérez and Dafne Glorian—decided in 1989 to produce top-quality wines from those forgotten vineyards. The result was so striking that Priorat became Spain’s second DOCa alongside La Rioja, and its wines are now among the most sought-after in the world.
The Priorat Wine Route unfolds across two appellations: DOCa Priorat and DO Montsant, set within a dramatic landscape of ravines, rocky outcrops and slate terraces, where rivers, reservoirs, ancient vineyards and hidden monasteries follow one another in succession.
Must-visit wineries
Álvaro Palacios (Gratallops) is the most renowned name: his wine L’Ermita is considered one of the ten finest wines in the world by international guides. Clos Mogador (René Barbier) is at the heart of the region’s rebirth, offering intimate and truly unique visits. Clos de l’Obac (Carles Pastrana) blends Priorat’s founding history with a warm and welcoming visitor experience. In Falset, the Celler Cooperatiu Falset-Marçà is not to be missed—a modernist winery that stands as a true cathedral of wine, designed by Martinell, a disciple of Gaudí. Mas Doix is the benchmark for the most expressive and aromatic Priorat wines.
Monuments and heritage
The Charterhouse of Santa Maria d’Escaladei is the historical landmark of the region: it was the first Carthusian monastery on the Iberian Peninsula, founded in the 12th century, and its monks were responsible for introducing viticulture to medieval Priorat. Siurana, a village perched dramatically atop a sheer cliff above its reservoir, is one of the most breathtaking medieval villages in Catalonia. The Serra de Montsant Natural Park surrounds the area with trails that wind through terraced vineyards, hermitages and viewpoints that, on clear days, stretch from the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees.
Gastronomy
Priorat’s cuisine draws on Mediterranean produce and inland Catalan traditions. Carxofes amb botifarra (artichokes with Catalan sausage), caracoles a la llauna (grilled snails), rabbit with romesco sauce, and calçots with salvitxada are among its most representative dishes. The region’s olive oil—particularly from the Empeltre variety—deserves special mention. Olive oil tourism, including visits to mills and tastings, provides the perfect complement to winery tours.
Sobrelías Redacción
Sobrelías Redacción