Álvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat Tinto 2021

Álvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat Tinto 2021 is a prestigious Spanish red made in the renowned DOCa Priorat, Catalonia, by acclaimed winemaker Álvaro Palacios. It's a vibrant blend made mostly of Garnacha (40%), complemented by Cabernet Sauvignon (21%), Merlot (18%), Cariñena (15%) and Syrah (6%).

The Wine Advocate
RP 91

Reviewed by: Luis Gutiérrez

The more modern and different 2021 Camins del Priorat, a blend of 40% Garnacha, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 15% Cariñena and 6% Syrah, is a little more balsamic, with some herbal notes and slightly dusty tannins. It's powerful, with 14.5% alcohol, and well balanced. It was fermented 100% destemmed in concrete and stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and matured in oak barrels and vats for six months. 246,000 bottles and 2,000 magnums were produced. It was bottled from April 2022.

James Suckling rated Álvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2021 92 points, highlighting its fresh, balanced profile.

According to the critic, the wine shows clean, expressive aromas, with red cherry and redcurrant to the fore, alongside a delicate floral touch evoking violets. On the palate it's medium-bodied, with fine, well-integrated tannins giving a smooth, elegant texture. The fruit is well defined throughout.

Lively, refreshing acidity carries it into a persistent, precise finish, making it especially enjoyable to drink now. Overall, a wine that favours freshness and elegance, moving away from the heavier or oak-marked styles typical of some interpretations of Priorat.

Wine Spectator gave Álvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2021 92 points, highlighting its expressiveness and aromatic energy. A vibrant, precise red that opens with intense notes of black cherry and crushed raspberry.

As you taste, further layers of complexity emerge, with nuances of liquorice, white pepper and a delicate floral touch of violets enriching the fruit. On the palate it shows citrus-like acidity well integrated with fine tannins, giving it elegance and balance.

The finish is long and persistent, marked by a spicy minerality that clearly reflects Priorat's typical slate soils (llicorella). Recommended drinking window: 2023 to 2030.