wine still
reserve
Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita
Priorat DOCa, Spain
About this product
L'Ermita is Spain's most expensive wine — made from tiny quantities of ancient Garnacha vines (50-100+ years old) on llicorella (slate-mica schist) terraces above the village of Gratallops in Priorat. The slate soils impart extraordinary mineral complexity and translucency; the old vines concentrate the essential Garnacha character: dark fruit, liquorice, and a floral spice unique to old Garnacha. Aged in French oak (50% new); only 400-600 cases produced annually.
The deductive profile Library
appearancedeep ruby-garnet
nosedark cherry, liquorice, black olive, slate mineral, dried violet, dark spice
palateenormous but translucent — concentration with mineral precision
signaturellicorella slate mineral + old Garnacha = the essence of Priorat
Service
aging15-40 years
decanting3-4 hours
temperature17C
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Open The LibraryThe quality ladder Library
Spain's most expensive wine — old-vine Garnacha
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Open The LibraryTasting profile
dark cherry, liquorice, black olive, slate mineral, dried violet, dark spice
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Pairings
complement
Meat poultry
L'Ermita's mineral-licorice complexity and old-vine concentration are calibrated for Catalan mountain game; romesco's nut-pepper-olive complexity bridges the wine's character
classic
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beef
L'Ermita's Garnacha from ancient schist vines belongs with Priorat lamb; the schist terroir is in both the soil and the meat
classic
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elevate
food
L'Ermita elevates the finest Aragonese lamb in a wood-fired oven; both come from the same ancient Iberian landscape
classic
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celebration
L'Ermita's Priorat prestige belongs with the Pyrenean lamb and romesco; a Catalonian mountain wine for Catalan mountain food
classic
celebration
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Meat poultry
Ibérico presa's extraordinary fat quality and the roasted pepper-aubergine escalivada create the Catalan flavour profile that L'Ermita's Garnacha was cultivated alongside
established
main
complement
Meat poultry
L'Ermita's Priorat terroir (Aragonese border) aligns with the lamb-pepper-saffron cooking tradition of the Ebro valley; the wine's mineral-licorice depth balances the sauce's richness
established
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complement
Charcuterie cheese
Garrotxa's white mould rind and earthy-nuttiness bridge L'Ermita's mineral character; the black olive tapenade directly mirrors the wine's black olive note from llicorella soils
established
cheese
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Wagyu premium protein
Grilled veal with Catalan romesco (roasted pepper-almond-bread sauce) and calçots (green onion). L'Ermita's slate-mineral Garnacha and the Catalan origin of Priorat creates a regional food-wine pairing; the wine's liquorice and dark fruit matches the charred pepper richness of romesco.
established
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