The old-vine Priorat 2019 Perpetual was produced with vines older than 75 years of age (the requirement for the vinyes velles [old vines] category in the appellation), mostly Cari?ena and 16% Garnacha from growers from different villages. It fermented in small stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts, and it now matures 100% in oak foudre, 2,000- and 2,500-liter ones, 30% of them new, for 17 to 18 months, and it shows better integration of the wood. The wine has 14.15% alcohol, and there is finesse and elegance with very good freshness from the old-vine Cari?ena, all in "costers" (steep vineyards with no terraces). This is really impressive. There are only 150 hectares of 75+-year-old vines in Priorat, and this all comes from such vines. Impressive. It has the typicity of the old vines. There is a little more Garnacha because Cari?ena always suffers in warm years. This wine was first produced in 2005 and was the top of the range until the single-vineyard 2016 Mas de la Rosa was released. 12,555 bottles, 133 magnums and 41 double magnums produced. It was bottled in August 2021.

2018 was a cooler year than 2017, and the 2018 Perpetual has less alcohol and more acidity than the 2017; in 2018, they also included the grapes from one vineyard they own, Dels Cargols in the village of El Lloar. The fermentation and élevage were similar to 2017—fermentation with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and an élevage of 17 to 18 months in 1,500-liter foudres (this time 50% of the volume) and 500-liter barrels, with only 30% new oak. There is a little more Cari?ena this time, up to 82%, with the remaining 18% being Garnacha. There is also better integration of the oak in the wine and an extra touch of freshness, giving a citrusy, orange peel characteristic to the profile of the wine. There are notes of violets and purple berries with aromas of Mediterranean herbs, coming through as fresh and characterful. The quality of the tannins feels very different from those of the 2017—this has a silky texture and is more elegant, and there is an effect from the vintage and also an adjustment in the vinification and élevage. 15,470 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in July 2020.

I tasted two vintages of the old-vine red from Priorat, from two very different years, and in both they have introduced some changes. The 2017 Perpetual comes from a warm, dry and low-yielding year when they went for a less-extractive vinification (shorter macerations), especially in the case of the Cari?ena, which represents 79% of the blend here, with the remaining 21% being Garnacha. The grapes are sourced from slopes of old vines from local growers in the villages of Porrera, Torroja, Lloar, Molar and Bellmunt, mixing warmer and cooler places, trying to achieve a balance that expresses the character of the place. It fermented in small stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and matured for 17 to 18 months in French oak barrels and foudre, only 30% of them new, while in the past it was up to 100% new. There are notes of wild berries and herbs and a layer of spices and earth. It's medium to full-bodied, with some grainy tannins, flavors of ripe grapes and a dry, long finish. 18,977 bottles and some larger formats produced. It was bottled in July 2019.

The polished and sleek 2016 Perpetual has more of the slate character from the Priorat soil, with notes of graphite, berries and Mediterranean herbs. It's an old-vine blend of 80% Cari?ena and 20% Garnacha that fermented in stainless steel vat with indigenous yeasts and an élevage of 18 months in new French oak barrels. It doesn't feel like there's a lot of new oak here, which is good in my book. The palate is medium to full-bodied with abundant, slightly dusty tannins, some rusticity and a dry, serious finish. It was bottled in June 2018.

Curiously enough, the 2015 Perpetual, the old-vine cuvée of Garnacha and Cari?ena, had lower alcohol despite 2015 being a riper year than 2014. It was a very early harvest, and the juice fermented in stainless steel vat with indigenous yeasts followed by malolactic and 18 months in new French oak barrels. The two wines from 2015 show more finesse and balance than the 2014s, and this is the one with more character and complexity of the four wines I tasted. It shows Priorat character even though the oak is a little too obvious just now. But it has the concentration and balance to absorb the oak with a little more time in bottle. 18,840 bottles, 150 magnums and 50 double magnums were produced. It was bottled in September 2017.