When Daphne Glorian is mentioned, it is always with deep respect and admiration. Born in America, she recognised the immense ageing potential of the region long before the great hype surrounding the small Priorat and, together with Alvaro Palacios, is one of the great pioneers and builders of the great renaissance of Priorat. Today, she is considered an icon of the region and an ingenious winemaker, especially as she was also one of the first to switch to biodynamic cultivation of the vineyards. She acquired her first plot in 1989 in Gratallops, the village in Priorat where Alvaro Palacios' star rose and made him world-famous. From 2004, she also collaborated with the biologist and vineyard specialist Ester Nin, who is currently causing quite a stir with her own wines from the Nin-Ortiz winery. Similar to Porrera, where Ester Nin cultivates her parcels, Gratallops also has the barren slate soil that gives the wines such a fine minerality. Daphne Glorian owns 10 hectares, with each parcel being vinified separately. However, the wines are bottled as cuvées and not as single varietals. Daphne likes to work with foudres, concrete eggs, amphorae and used barriques. Using new wood to make the wines "sweet and easy" is not her thing. The heart of the production is the "Clos Erasmus", a cuvée of Garnacha and Syrah, of which there are just 12 barriques, which corresponds to around 3,500 bottles. Due to its exceptional quality, this wine is one of the most sought-after wines in Spain worldwide, on a par with a Chateau Petrus. It goes without saying that you have to look for this wine and be delighted with every single bottle. The second wine is the "Laurel", which is the English translation of the name Daphne. However, it would be a mistake to regard this wine as a "second wine", as is customary in Bordeaux with the top chateaux. The blend of Carnacha, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon is a completely individual, outstanding wine with the advantage of being available on the market at a slightly lower price without having to compromise on the exceptional quality of Clos i Terrasses. Both wines and the great Wimzer personality of Daphne Glorian with all her merits for the wines of the region have long since made the estate a legend.
