Vi de Terra Viva, the equivalent of a villages wine. Terra de Cuques is a blend of 90% Pedro Ximénez from the clay soils of Le Molar and 10% Moscatel de Alejandría on the north-facing slate soils of Porrera. The source vineyards face northeast and are 400 to 600m above sea level. The aspect means the vines are sheltered from the sun’s harshest rays, while the altitude results in cool nights that lock in refreshing acidity. The bush vines also play their role in maximising coolness and freshness.
As with all the whites here, this wine is evolving to be a more precise and focussed style. In the cellar the PX is layered in a wine press and sees gentle foot pressure over a period of one hour; then it is basket-pressed, providing a combination of extraction and maceration. The Muscat portion is made in the same way the domaine makes its reds: whole clusters are layered in a fermentation tank where the weight of the bunches creates enough juice for fermentation to begin spontaneously; then, after one to two weeks, the wine is pressed and finishes fermentation in a concrete tank.
It’s a wonderfully unique expression of high-country Priorat—with mouth-coating texture and energising, beautifully entwined mineral grip. 2021 is the most exhilarating and thirst-inducing Terra de Cuques we have yet tasted: subtle citrus and honeyed florals combine on a palate dripping with texture and light, all underscored by a cool, fundamental stoniness.