The view at Clos Figueras.
It’s difficult to imagine, standing among Priorat’s steep, slate-covered vineyards, that this severe landscape was once considered expendable. By European standards, its ascent has been unusually fast. Today, the region’s wines command global attention, and its slopes are a big draw for collectors and sommeliers alike.
Clos Figueras sits at the heart of this transformation as a clear example of how vision, timing, and belief reshaped one of Spain’s most unlikely success stories.
Priorat DOQ.
Located in Gratallops, the estate is closely linked to Priorat’s rise to DOQ (Denominación de Origen Qualificada) status, Spain’s highest classification, shared only with Rioja. It’s a designation that formalized what a handful of producers had already begun to prove.
The backstory here matters. For much of the 20th century, Priorat was in steady decline. Its steep slopes and Llicorella soils made vineyard work physically punishing and, more importantly, unprofitable. As returns diminished, vineyards were abandoned and villages emptied. By the 1970s, the region’s future looked uncertain at best.
The wines served at lunch.
Yet even in those years of decline, there were early signs of Priorat’s potential. In 1983, Christopher Cannan, founder of the Bordeaux-based export company Europvin, came across a bottle of 1974 Priorat from Scala Dei while visiting a small retailer in San Francisco. Tasting it later that evening with a Californian winemaker, he found it not only impressive, but extraordinary value at just $4 a bottle.
The late 1980s marked the beginning of structural change. A small group of producers (later dubbed the “Magnificent 5,” though locally referred to with some affection as “the hippies”) began restoring old vineyards and reassessing the region’s potential. Among them, Álvaro Palacios was particularly influential, bringing technical experience and a clear focus on site expression.
During our visit to Clos Figueras, our host Miquel Compte summed up the region’s modern history into a simple framework: “before the hippies, and after the hippies.”
Miquel Compte.
Before, Priorat’s wines were obscure and undervalued; after, they became site-driven, ambitious, and globally relevant.
By then, Cannan had moved from curiosity to commitment. After meeting Manuel Peyra of Scala Dei, he began exporting Priorat wines to markets including the United States and Japan. At the time, Scala Dei was the only privately owned estate exporting these wines making Cannan among the first to introduce Priorat to a broader global audience.
Palacios’ emphasis on old vine Garnacha, and on identifying individual vineyard sites, marked a shift away from bulk wine production toward something more site specific. While this approach is now standard, it represented a significant departure for Priorat at the time.
Christopher Cannan [Source: Clos Figueras]
Cannan’s background in export gave him a unique vantage point. He could see not only the quality emerging from Priorat, but also its possible audience. Through Europvin, he helped bridge that gap at a moment when the region had little international visibility.
In 1997, Cannan, together with his partner Charlotte, acquired Clos Figueras in Gratallops, establishing what is now a 22-hectare estate, with approximately 12 hectares under vine. Plantings include Garnacha and Cariñena alongside Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Garnacha Blanca, and Chenin Blanc.
Venturing down into the cellar.
Today, the focus has settled more firmly on Garnacha and Cariñena, while the early introduction of international varieties remains part of the estate’s identity. The conditions, however, are unchanged: steep gradients, poor soils and a climate that offers little margin for error.
The wines track the region’s evolution. Earlier vintages leaned more international in style, but over time there’s been a clear move towards balance and definition. Garnacha, in particular, has become the thread that ties it all together.
From the outset, the vision extended beyond the vineyard. Clos Figueras has evolved into a fully integrated estate, encompassing a working winery and a restaurant that has become a destination in its own right.
The estate olive oil rivals the wine.
Lunch at Les Figueres unfolded at a wonderfully unhurried pace perfectly suited to the setting: a tomato salad with goat’s cheese, warm house-made bread for soaking up the estate’s olive oil, followed by a succession of dishes including sausages, lamb chops and cod, shared family-style.
It was unpretentious and personal, demonstrating traditions that seem to persist despite Priorat’s rise in global stature.
For us there is no better way to understand a wine than to taste it where it is grown. With the vineyards stretching just beyond the table, that connection between place and product comes into sharp focus and it’s something we felt acutely there.
Miquel showing us the cellar.
In the cellar, the approach is pragmatic. Fermentation and ageing are managed to control extraction and preserve aromatic detail, reflecting a shift away from the more heavily extracted styles of the past.
The scale of Priorat’s transformation remains evident. Wines that once sold for minimal sums now occupy a very different position in the market, and the region itself has become a destination. For those involved early on, the change is still striking.
Clos Figueras isn’t the most historic estate in Priorat, nor is it the most experimental. What makes it compelling is its vantage point. It represents both the early external belief in the region, and its subsequent consolidation into a recognized fine wine category.
That dual role makes it a useful reference point. It’s a perfect example of how far Priorat has come, and a reminder of the remarkable vision required to get it there.
Tasting Notes
2024 Clos Figueras Font de la Figuera Blanco
2024 Clos Figueras Font de la Figuera Blanco.
The blend for this easy going white is Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Chenin Blanc. Plenty of orchard fruit is delivered on a medium+ body with medium- acidity. Round and generous this is very approachable, easy going, quaffable wine that makes a delightful aperitif. Peach, melon and a touch of minerality infuse the palate. Elevage is in stainless steel which give the wine its precision. Very Good+
2023 Clos Figueras Serras del Priorat Tinto
Made from the traditional Priorat blend of Grenache and Carignan with some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium dark red in colour, this wine has a youthful exuberance about it. Flavours of blackberry and plum are framed by youthful tannins. The finish is long and pepper-infused. Medium body with medium+ tannin, this is approachable now but likely to further develop over the next five years. Very Good+
2025 Clos Figueras Serras del Priorat Blanco
2025 Clos Figueras Serras del Priorat Blanco.
A varietal wine made from Grenache Blanc this has a little less body than la Figuera Blanco and a similar acid profile. Pear and melon flavours dominate the palate. Round and easy on the palate this is another great summer sipper. A wine to enjoy with good friends in the summer sun, this wine does not complicate the situation, it adds a clean and easy to appreciate, flavourful wine to any gathering. Very Good
2022 Clos Figueras Font de la Figuera Tinto
The same grapes are used to make the previous wine, but here the quality has been dialed up. Barrel aging is twice as long and this shows up in terms of a richer mouth feel and more body. Blackberry and raspberry are joined by more subtle notes of vanilla and cracked pepper. The finish is long and shows a certain spicy character. Power is aligned with elegance that shows just the right balance. Beautiful mouthfeel. Excellent
2021 Clos Figueras Clos Figueras
2021 Clos Figueras Clos Figueres.
This is the wine that helped bring fame and fortune to the Priorat region. A blend of Grenache and Carignan vinified from 80 year old vines. We get plenty of black cherry flavours complemented by notes of dried herbs. 15% alcohol does not show any signs of heat. In fact the wine is perfectly balanced. The body is medium+ with medium+ tannin.
Built for the long haul, this is just coming ointo its own at age 5 and surely will have a very long life in a cold cellar. Elegant and very sophisticated. Notes of black forest cake come out after a little swirling and add intrigue to the black cherry and plum flavour profile. The finish goes on and on! Excellent+
2015 Clos Figueras Clos Figueres.
2015 Clos Figueras Clos Figueres
For our last wine we were treated to this gem from their cellar. And what a wine it was!! This is a gorgeous, sexy wine that has both elegance and power. The black cherry notes are supported by an almost creamy texture; a wine that is so smooth yet structured as well. After some time in our glasses we pick up secondary notes of blueberry and black pepper with some gentle hints of dried herbs. Spectacular wine! Extraordinary
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