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Bin Ends is proud to bring to you today's Once Daily Feature, a combination three pack of fine wines from one of the greatest wine estates in Spain... if not the entire world, Clos Erasmus. This property and the wines crafted here are the life's work of one of. the world's most highly regarded winemakers... Daphne Glorian.
In 1988 Daphne Glorian spent her entire life’s savings on 17 terraces of vines situated in a wooded hollow just outside the village of Gratallops. Her accomplices in this folly? – René Barbier, Álvaro Palacios, Carles Pastrana, and Josep Lluís Pérez. Together they pooled their resources and their. newly acquired vineyards and settled in a region rich in history but without much of a reputation. In 1989 the modern Priorat was born: one wine but five different labels, each of which would become known worldwide: Clos Mogador, Clos Dofi, Clos Martinet, Clos de l’Obac, and Clos Erasmus. In the years since, Daphne has acquired a total of six small terraced vineyards around the village of Gratallops which today make up fruit source of both Clos Erasmus and its sister wine Laurel.
The wines of Clos Erasmus have achieved near universal acclaim from the very first vintage right up to the current 2020 release. Over the last ten vintages, Clos Erasmus has never received a rating of less than 97 points, while achieving two perfect 100 point ratings. Let's take a closer look at the three wines featured in today's offer:
2019 Clos Erasmus "Laurel" Priorat, Spain
Blend: 77% Garnatxa, 8% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon<br>From the younger vines, as well as the occasional declassified barrel of Clos Erasmus and the few grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon still on the estate. The 2019 Laurel was destemmed, hand sorted and lightly crushed and vinified in oak and concrete vats with a 4 week maceration. After pressing the wine was aged for 18 months in 20HL oak and 20HL concrete vats, third-fill 228L French oak barrels and 700L amphorae. Although this looks rather eclectic and haphazard, I like the mix of different vessels as it allows each parcel and variety to express itself.- Daphne Glorian
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Rated. 95+ Points
"The 2019 Laurel is quite closed and shows serious and shy. It's made with all the grapes that are not used for Clos Erasmus—young vines, the remaining Cabernet Sauvignon (no more than 5%), mostly Garnacha and some 15% Syrah. The wine matured mostly in 2,000-liter oak vats, concrete and some barrels. It's 15% alcohol but has very good freshness. The wine is round and powerful but very harmonious and with good freshness. It's medium to full-bodied and nicely textured, with abundant, glossy tannins and fantastic balance. This is both powerful and elegant. It slowly opens up in the glass to ripe berries, spice and herbs and a touch of smoke." LG 9/202
2019 Clos Erasmus Priorat, Spain
Blend: 83% Garnatxa, 17% Syrah
The grapes come from the same parcels year after year: Escales, Aubages
and Socarrats and each site is fermented and aged separately. The fruit
was destemmed, sorted by hand and slightly crushed. Primary fermentation was conducted in 15-20HL oak vats, macerations lasted 30-35-30
days, with malo in barrel after pressing. Clos Erasmus was aged for 18
months in 228L French oak barrels (50% new).-Daphne Glorian
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Rated 98+ Points
"The serious and powerful 2019 Clos Erasmus feels quite classical Priorat, with notes of graphite, black fruit and licorice; it's a solid Priorat with weight, concentration and clout. There are still some smoke, toast and spice notes from the élevage—100% in barrel, some 40% of them new, for around 18 months—and the wine always needs a little bit of time in bottle. Despite the 15.5% alcohol, the wine comes through as balanced and with freshness, there is no heat or sensation of alcohol; you need the tannins and acidity to counterbalance the alcohol, and they are doing that here. This is more balsamic, aromatic and exuberant. It's showy, hedonistic and rich, a solid Erasmus. The tannins are still quite present and need some more time to be resolved. 3,300 bottles were filled in May 2020." LG 9/2022
2020 Clos Erasmus, Priorat, Spain
Blend: 70% Garnatxa, 30% Syrah
The grapes come from the same parcels year after year, Escales, Aubagues, and Socarrats, which are fermented and aged separately. Destemmed, sorted by hand, and slightly crushed, the grapes ferment in 10-15 HL wooden vats. The macerations lasted 35-38 days. The malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. The wines were aged in 228L barrels (40% new). Daphne Glorian
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Rated 100 Points
"The still young and primary 2020 Clos Erasmus feels very floral and ethereal (within Priorat and Clos Erasmus); it's a fresher and lighter expression but without being weak. It's still a baby that needs to burn the baby fat. The wine is always around 3.2 or 3.3 pH and has some 15% to 15.5% alcohol, but the sensation this year is of a much fresher, more balanced and elegant wine. This should make an elegant bottle of mature Priorat with a decade in bottle, and I guess it will be long lived. Glorian mentioned that a small lot that normally goes to Laurel was added to the blend of Erasmus, resulting in a lot of added freshness and a note of orange blossom, which makes sense to me with the floral character of the wines and the extra freshness I perceived. This is really beautiful. It's a very special vintage of Erasmus that unfurls incredible complexity and tantalizing aromas with time in the glass—blood orange (talk about freshness!), curry and cassis. It has great purity, complexity, elegance and finesse... A very different Clos Erasmus. Bravo!" LG 9/2022
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