Clos Erasmus Priorat 2019
Clos Erasmus
Daphne Glorian's Clos Erasmus remains one of Priorat's most profound wines. The 2019 vintage captures the tension between the region's extreme heat and the llicorella slate soils that force the old Grenache and Syrah vines to dig deep. It's a wine of fire and stone — powerful but breathtakingly precise.
Nose
An explosion of crushed blackcurrant and violet, layered with smoked herbs and graphite. Beneath the dark fruit, subtle cedar and a toasted quality suggest the oak aging, while a green garrigue — rosemary, thyme — adds a distinctly Mediterranean dimension.
Palate
Dense and concentrated but never heavy. The tannins are polished and fine-grained, carrying intense blackcurrant and cherry across the palate. Toasted oak provides structure without dominance. A mineral, almost slate-like quality emerges mid-palate — this is the llicorella speaking — and the finish builds toward an herbal, mintlike freshness that lifts everything.
Finish
Extremely long with persistent blackcurrant, cedar, and a lingering violet perfume that resolves into quiet minerality.
- Varietal
- Garnacha (Grenache)
- Blend
- Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vineyards
- Clos Erasmus estate vineyard, Gratallops, llicorella slate soils
- Alcohol
- 15.0%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
The wine's mineral intensity and concentrated dark fruit stand up to the lamb's richness, while romesco's roasted peppers and almonds echo the toasted, herbal character of the Priorat terroir.
Founded in 1989 by Daphne Glorian on a steep terraced hillside of ancient llicorella slate in the village of Gratallops, Clos Erasmus is biodynamically farmed and produces barely 500 cases of this singular Priorat wine each vintage.
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