The first Torres Family wines in Priorat were a blend of grapes from Porrera, one of the coolest areas of the region, and El Lloar, the warmest village to the south, where the winery is located. The difference between the two villages is such that ripening times can vary by up to 20 days. According to the Winkler scale, which measures temperatures in wine growing regions, they are in two different climates. Recently, Porrera has become an increasingly important part of the Torres portfolio. The group has owned vineyards in Priorat since the 1990s, but its first wine was not released until the 2007 vintage.
Of the two first releases, Salmos (€27) and Perpetual (€74), the latter is the one that has stayed closer to the original philosophy: very old vines, over 75 years old, from different areas, including the estate's vineyards in El Lloar and other southern villages such as El Molar and Bellmunt, then ascending to Torroja and the cooler area of Porrera. These grapes produce powerful wines with good acidity and ageing potential. The winery has small 1,000-litre vats so that the plots can be fermented separately. Cariñena is the predominant variety in the blend. The wine is aged for 18 months.
Originally conceived as a regional red, Salmos will be released as a Vi de Vila de Porrera from the 2020 vintage onwards. Garnacha and Cariñena are almost equally represented in the blend.
The family has been focusing more on this village since the release of their top red Mas de la Rosa (around €395) in the 2016 vintage. Grapes are sourced from a very old vineyard planted to Cariñena, Garnacha and some Picapoll in the eponymous area of Porrera. These grapes used to go to Perpetual, but after Torres purchased the vineyard, Mas de la Rosa is now bottled on its own. It is the first case of a "shared name" in the region (Vall-Llach has used it for its top red), which is now allowed under the DOQ's new vineyard classification. Torres Mas de la Rosa is a mineral, remarkably fresh and herbal red with a juicy, well-defined palate.
There is also the entry-level Secret del Priorat (€18, 40,000 bottles), which includes small percentages of international varieties alongside Garnacha and Cariñena.
In line with the family's commitment to fighting climate change, the estate in Priorat has also made an effort to grow vines at very high elevations. Los Tossals, a Garnacha-dominated vineyard, is the highest plot with llicorella soils in the DOQ. It is intended to produce a vi de paratge (site wine) in the future.
