Posts Tagged "Christopher Cannan"


Clos Figueras: Defining the Modern Priorat

Clos Figueras: Defining the Modern Priorat


Posted on May 20, 2026

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.

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Priorat: A Primer

Priorat: A Primer


Posted on Apr 22, 2026

We recently made our first visit to Priorat. Seeing it firsthand, there’s no gradual introduction to its scale.

Old vines flanked by terraced vineyards.

Towering terraced hillsides rise into view, etched with ancient vines, the full scale registering all at once.

Jagged ridgelines, stacked terraces, and sun-drenched slate soils define the landscape, where gnarled old vines cling improbably to slopes so steep they still require the steady footing of mules.

Set inland from the Mediterranean, Priorat is surrounded by mountains that form a natural amphitheatre of vineyards. Its dynamic topography is marked by vineyards  carved into rock, punctuated by olive groves and hazelnut trees.

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