Clos I Terrasses, Laurel, 2017 - Magnum
Clos I Terrasses, Laurel, 2017 - Magnum
- Red Still
- 150.0cl
- 15.0%
- Organic
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Clos i Terrasses is one of Priorat's founding names — Sara Pérez's family estate that helped put this dramatic corner of Catalonia on the world wine map. Laurel is their single-vineyard red, grown on the famous llicorella soils (the crumbling black slate that gives Priorat its distinctive mineral backbone) at altitude in the Gratallops subzone. The 2017 is a Garnacha-led blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, and in magnum it has had the kind of slow, measured evolution that rewards patience. Nine years on, it is hitting its stride.
Expect concentrated dark fruit — blackberry, black cherry, damson — with layers of dried thyme, crushed stone, and bittersweet chocolate. The tannins are firm but no longer austere, and that characteristic Priorat mineral tension runs right through to the finish. This is a serious wine in the best possible sense: demanding, distinctive, and built to last.
- ❖ ABV: 15.0%
Grapes
Garnacha, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage report
Catalunya in 2017 was defined, as it was across much of Spain, by heat and drought. A dry winter set the tone, spring rainfall was scarce, and summer brought intense, sustained warmth that pushed vines into stress earlier than growers would have liked. Yields dropped sharply across the region — some producers lost a third of their anticipated crop. Those who managed canopy and water carefully, particularly at altitude in the Priorat and Montsant, harvested grapes with genuine concentration and freshness intact. Those who didn't found themselves with overripe fruit that required careful handling in the cellar.
What 2017 produced, when growers got it right, are wines with real density and warmth — Garnatxa and Cariñena with ripe, generous fruit and structure enough to hold them together. Whites, particularly Garnatxa Blanca from higher sites, fared well too, retaining more acidity than the vintage statistics might suggest. These are not wines that reward hoarding. Most are drinking very well now, and we'd say the window for the reds runs comfortably until 2026 to 2028 for all but the most serious Priorat bottlings.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep garnet, almost opaque at the core, with a brick-tinged rim that signals a wine finding its age.
NoseDark and earthy at first — blackberry compote, dried black olives, and scorched earth — before crushed slate and dried rosemary lift it into something more precise. With air, a thread of dark chocolate and cedar emerges from the Cabernet component.
PalateFull-bodied but no longer the brooding beast it once was — the tannins have softened to a grippy, textured presence that frames concentrated black fruit and mineral-tinged acidity rather than dominating it. There is real length here, with a savoury, almost meaty undercurrent that speaks directly to the llicorella soils.
FinishLong, dry, and stony, with a trailing note of dried herbs and bitter dark chocolate that lingers well past the glass.
Overall impressionA wine that earns its reputation without needing to announce it — the magnum format has bought it time, and that time has been well spent.
Food Pairings
In Priorat and the surrounding Catalan countryside, this style of wine is most at home alongside slow-cooked lamb — corder a la brasa, chargrilled over vine cuttings, is practically the local religion. Aged Manchego or Garrotxa cheese, with their nutty intensity, are a natural match. Wild boar stew (senglar estofat) braised with prunes and local wine is another classic pairing, the gamey richness meeting the wine's mineral grip head on. Even a simple plate of pa amb tomàquet — bread rubbed with ripe tomato and good olive oil — will do the job if the wine is as good as this one.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at 17 to 18°C — any warmer and the alcohol begins to feel heavy. This wine absolutely benefits from decanting: give it at least 90 minutes, ideally two hours, especially from the magnum. A large-bowled Burgundy-style glass works well, giving the nose room to open and the wine time to breathe as you drink. Do not rush it.
The Laurel vineyard sits within the Gratallops subzone of Priorat, on the ancient llicorella soils that define the appellation — crumbling black schist and quartz that drains rapidly, stresses the vines, and concentrates everything the plant produces. Altitude brings cooler nights that preserve freshness and acidity, critical for balance in such a warm, sun-drenched landscape. Vine yields are extraordinarily low, partly through old vine age and partly by design, which is why each bottle carries such density and focus.
Priorat (DOQ Priorat in Catalan, DOCa Priorat in Spanish) is one of only two Spanish appellations to hold the top-tier DOCa classification, the other being Rioja. It is a small, mountainous zone in southern Catalonia defined by those ancient llicorella schist soils, extreme gradients, and an almost brutally hot, dry climate moderated by altitude. The wines tend to be powerful, mineral, and age-worthy — quite unlike anything else in Spain. In recent years, a subzone system of village-level Vins de Vila has emerged, bringing Priorat closer to a Burgundian model of geographic specificity.
Catalunya in 2017 was defined, as it was across much of Spain, by heat and drought. A dry winter set the tone, spring rainfall was scarce, and summer brought intense, sustained warmth that pushed vines into stress earlier than growers would have liked. Yields dropped sharply across the region — some producers lost a third of their anticipated crop. Those who managed canopy and water carefully, particularly at altitude in the Priorat and Montsant, harvested grapes with genuine concentration and freshness intact. Those who didn't found themselves with overripe fruit that required careful handling in the cellar.
What 2017 produced, when growers got it right, are wines with real density and warmth — Garnatxa and Cariñena with ripe, generous fruit and structure enough to hold them together. Whites, particularly Garnatxa Blanca from higher sites, fared well too, retaining more acidity than the vintage statistics might suggest. These are not wines that reward hoarding. Most are drinking very well now, and we'd say the window for the reds runs comfortably until 2026 to 2028 for all but the most serious Priorat bottlings.
FAQs
What does the Laurel taste like?
Dense and mineral, with concentrated dark fruit — blackberry, damson, black cherry — alongside crushed slate, dried herbs, and dark chocolate. It is powerful but precise, with a long savoury finish that is very much Priorat at its most distinctive.
When should I drink the 2017 Laurel Magnum?
It is drinking well now with decanting, but the sweet spot is probably 2028 to 2033. The magnum format slows ageing, which works in your favour — there is no rush, and patience will be rewarded until at least 2040.
Is the magnum format worth it for this wine?
Absolutely. Magnums age more slowly and evenly than standard bottles, which for a wine this structured and age-worthy makes a genuine difference. The 2017 in magnum still has considerable road ahead of it.
What food should I serve with this wine?
Slow-cooked lamb is the classic match — the wine's mineral grip and dark fruit love richly flavoured meat. Aged hard cheeses, wild boar stew, or even well-seasoned grilled beef all work superbly. Avoid anything too delicate; this wine wants a partner with presence.
How should I serve it?
At 17 to 18°C, in a large-bowled glass, and decanted for at least 90 minutes to two hours. From a magnum especially, the wine needs time and air to fully open up — do not be tempted to pour straight from the bottle.
Who makes Clos i Terrasses and why does it matter?
The estate is run by Sara Pérez, whose father José Luis Pérez was one of the original group who reinvented Priorat in the late 1980s. Sara is one of Spain's most respected winemakers, and Laurel is considered among the appellation's benchmark single-vineyard wines. It matters because the pedigree is real, not marketing.
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