Clos Erasmus was born in an afternoon with the purchase of some old vines of Garnacha by Daphne Glorian, who happened to be in the area visiting some friends. Although she had no intention of purchasing such a plot or starting a winery, her friends (Alvaro Palacios and Rene Barbier) convinced her that amazing wines could be produced here if given the right attention. They were right.

Since the early 1990s the Clos Erasmus wines have received rave reviews from the world’s major wine critics, including ten wines that have been rated 99-100 pts!! 

Clos Erasmus is Priorat’s benchmark producer, one of the top wineries anywhere in Spain. These wines are not to be missed. Due to arrive in 6-8 weeks.

Clos Erasmus Priorat 2018

Sale $198.99 – Beats Best US Price Online

99 pts Wine Advocate 

“A blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah, 2018 Clos Erasmus comes from a year with good yields and enough rain for good ripeness of the grapes. The vines are now 36 years old on average, and the grapes fermented after a cold soak in 1,000-, 1,500- and 2,000-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a five-week maceration. It matured in new and second use Burgundian 228-liter oak barrels, with around 40% new oak. This is a very elegant and perfumed vintage for Clos Erasmus, a wine that reveals a bright ruby color and a exotic nose that mixes flowers with tons of sweet spices. It is still very young and influenced by the élevage in oak, with something herbal and fresh, reminiscent of pine needles. The palate is textured and velvety, lace and dust, with fine-grained tannins that bring back the memories of the slate rocks; it is pure and detailed and has terrible balance, focus, inner strength, filigree and subdued minerality. I'd wait a little bit for the oak to get integrated before pulling the cork. It has the ingredients, stuffing and balance to develop nicely in bottle for a long time.” WA

Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus “Laurel” 2018

Sale $54.99

96 pts Wine Advocate - Highest Rating Ever from WA

Consider some of the other Priorats rated 96 pts or less…

• 2011 Álvaro Palacios • L'Ermita – 96 pts - $995
• 2017 Torres • Mas de la Rosa - 95 pts $450
• 2016 Mas Doix • 1903 Centenary Grenache – 96 pts - $300

I could go on and on… in fact, in the past four vintages, there are a whopping 73 Priorat to merit 96 pts or less and sell for over $80!

Simply… I get why everyone wants the Erasmus, but the Laurel is still in the uppermost echelon of Priorat at a fraction of the price! And you can drink it over the next 8 years while you are waiting on Erasmus to come together.

“the 2018 Laurel was produced with fruit from the younger vines, a couple of barrels that are declassified from Clos Erasmus and the Cabernet Sauvignon, more or less 70% Garnacha and 15% each Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has good ripeness and still a pH of 3.3. It fermented mostly in oak vats and 2,000-liter concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured for 18 months in 20,000-liter oak and concrete vats, second use barriques and some clay amphorae. It's a bright translucent ruby color and has a perfumed and delicate nose with notes of orange peel and flowers; this is the most elegant and ethereal vintage of Laurel as far as I can remember, with red rather than black fruit and a kind of cranberry quality. The palate is medium-bodied, textured and fluid, with subtleness, balance and very fine tannins. The oak is perfectly integrated, and the wine is easy to drink, approachable and very pleasurable right now. It's a fresh vintage with energy and finesse, quite different from previous vintages. I love it.”

Reply to order. Due to arrive in 6-8 weeks.