Priorat takes its name from the Carthusian priory of Scala Dei, whose monks brought viticulture here in the twelfth century. Its soil, llicorella, is a crumbly black and reddish slate with mica that forces vines to root deep for water.
Priorat holds Spain's highest rank, DOQ in Catalan or DOCa in Spanish, which only Rioja shares. Planted vineyards cover only about two thousand hectares, which keeps yields low and prices high.
Almost entirely enclosed by Montsant, Priorat works with the same old-vine Garnacha and Cariñena. The difference between the two lies mostly in soil and price, which is why Montsant is often the realistic choice for a kosher run and Priorat the benchmark.
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