There are landscapes that leave a mark. That speak even in silence. One such landscape is the ridge that traverses Gratallops, a high land crest that watches over the entire Priorat like a silent sentinel. It is here that Josep Grau—a former broker, dreamer turned winemaker by conviction—has chosen to heed the voice of the earth.
And he has not interpreted it in haste. He has translated it with patience and reverence, with viticulture guided by the rhythm of the soil and the seasons, without forcing anything. Thus is born Josep Grau Carenes, one of the most personal wines from his winery. A white wine that seems like a conversation between rock, wind, and time.
What makes Josep Grau Carenes special? It all begins in the vineyard: a hectare divided into three plots planted with vines aged between 80 and 120 years, growing amidst slate and clay-limestone soils, halfway between the mineral drama of the Priorat and an uncommon freshness in this area.
The blend is also surprising: garnacha blanca, macabeo, and the exceedingly rare trepat blanc, a nearly vanished local variety. Everything is hand-harvested early, aiming to preserve the energy and aromas. The pressing, delicate and slow, lasts over 7 hours. Then, each variety follows its own path: the garnacha blanca ferments and ages in Austrian oak foudres, while the macabeo and trepat blanco mature in French oak barrels. Finally, it undergoes an aging period of 7 months.
The result is Josep Grau Carenes, a white wine of refined structure, with profound minerality, vibrant acidity, and an aromatic expression that ranges from floral to saline and subtly spiced. A demonstration that Priorat can also speak softly, with finesse and freshness, without forsaking its identity.