Priorat & Montsant · Spanien
Terroir al Limit
Terroir al Limit farms 15 hectares in the Priorat, based in Torroja del Priorat. Dominik Huber founded the estate in 2004 together with South African winemaker Eben Sadie; since Sadie's departure in 2012, Huber has run it with winemaker Tatjana Peceric, who as Head Winemaker is responsible for winemaking and the vineyards. The parcels lie between 400 and 800 metres, on slate, clay and alluvial deposits, and are farmed organically and biodynamically. Since 2009 the grapes have fermented as whole clusters, without pigeage, and the red wines age in concrete and stainless steel. In neighbouring Montsant, the pair run the sister project Terroir Sense Fronteres.
Torroja del Priorat, founded in 2004
Dominik Huber came to the Priorat as a career changer from Munich and in 2004 founded a small winery in Torroja del Priorat together with South African winemaker Eben Sadie. Sadie withdrew in 2012 to focus on his South African wines, and Huber carried on Terroir al Limit. Today he runs the estate together with Tatjana Peceric, a winemaker of Serbian origin who is responsible for the cellar and vineyards and represents the estate publicly. In neighbouring Montsant, the two run Terroir Sense Fronteres, where no wood is used in the cellar.
Whole-cluster infusion and concrete ageing
Since 2009, Terroir al Limit has worked with whole-cluster infusion: the berries stay whole, they are not crushed, and the cap is not pumped over. "At the beginning there was still a bit of pigeage," says Dominik Huber, "today we no longer stir." For the red wines the estate has given up wood; they age in concrete and stainless steel, so that primary aromas and origin remain unaltered.
The 15 hectares are farmed organically and biodynamically. Dominik Huber harvests early and meets the hot summers with biodynamic preparations in the vineyard.
The vineyards from Torroja to Scala Dei
The Terra de Cuques negre comes half from Garnacha and half from Cariñena, from several vineyards at around 400 metres, mostly slate with some clay. For the Dits del Terra, Carignan vines over 60 years old grow on the steep slate slopes of Torroja del Priorat, facing south; the hand-picked grapes ferment as whole clusters for seven to ten days and age eight months in concrete. Les Tosses comes from one of the highest vineyards in Torroja, where 90-year-old Carignan vines take root in sparse slate at 600 metres, exposed to the southwest sun.
Les Manyes grows at 800 metres above the monastery in Scala Dei, in calcareous clay soil facing west. The 60-year-old vines of the rare Garnacha Peluda carry a fine down on the underside of their leaves that retains moisture. In the wine, dark cherry, smoke and herbal spice sit side by side, with a fine bitterness that gives the finish depth; Wine Advocate scored it 100 points. The wines are arranged by origin, from the village wine through the single-vineyard selections Les Tosses, Arbossar and Dits del Terra, up to Les Manyes at the top.
Whites from old vines
For the Pedra de Guix, Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo and Grenache Blanc from various vineyards come together; the 50- to 80-year-old vines stand between 400 and 600 metres on clay, alluvial deposits and slate. After gentle whole-cluster pressing, the wine ages eight months in concrete, with the Pedro Ximénez portion deliberately handled oxidatively.