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2 bottles per lot
Details
TERROIR AL LIMIT
Terroir al Limit is a famous, cult winery, high up in Priorat. The top Crus, Les Manyes and Les Tosses, have become über collectible over the last decade and now, just after the estate’s 20th birthday, Christie’s is delighted to present a rare selection of the top two Crus at auction.
Th winery began life in 2001 when food and wine obsessed German, Dominik Huber fell in love with Priorat after doing an internship at Mas Martinet. With the belief that this dramatic terroir had the potential to yield exceptional grapes and singular wines, he (with partner Eben Sadie) rented a small plot of old vine Garnacha and Carignan, along with some cellar space to vinify the first vintage.
As the project grew they took on more vineyards, and dedicated more time to farming, implementing biodynamics, and other methods to reduce the stress on vines in this stark and difficult terrain. This new approach paid off, directly impacting the quality of the fruit. With better grapes coming into the cellar, Dominik had a realisation: super-ripe grapes, combined with extractive winemaking, and aging in barriques was masking the essence of the vineyards. In contrast to the heavily extracted and oaked style, that was then so closely associated with Priorat, he started to practice whole-bunch fermentation; adopted gentler extraction; and barrels have been replaced with concrete tanks and large foudres. Dominik bottles in the Burgundian model: wines are classified as crus. The resulting lithe and elegant, pure and expressive wines have gone from strength to strength, and fully deserve the reputation and cult-status they’ve since acquired.
Les Manyes
Perched 800 metres above sea level, deep in the Montsant mountains, near the village of Scala Dei, is the vineyard of Les Manyes. It is planted to Garnacha Peluda (hairy Grenache), which has a downy fuzz on the leaves. These small hairs conserve moisture, which is fantastic in a region known for blazing heat during ripening. The wine is thus able to ripen at lower alcohol, with more acidity gained by an earlier harvest. The chalk soil of the plot also adds a nervy minerality to the wine. Dominik employs cement for 16 months ageing and the wines have a sublime brightness and finesse. They are akin to the great Grenache of the Rhône, Château Rayas. These are gastronomic wines, perfect with a dish of red snapper, venison, roasted root vegetables, quail or pumpkin. Vintages have become high scoring, with the Wine Advocate awarding 97 points and above to all wines offered here, bar the 2007 which is a special vintage from the estate’s reserve cellar. The 2016 is the vintage which was famously awarded a 100 points by the Wine Advocate. Only 3000-3500 bottles of Les Manyes are made and sold on allocation, therefore finding older vintages is rare. We are delighted that the estate has bottled magnums, double-magnums and imperials for this auction.
Les Tosses
Dominik discovered the 2 ha plot of Carignan, whilst riding his motorbike up the mountains around Priorat. 600 metres above sea level, these gnarly 80 year old vines are on black slate and the sun drenches the plot. Dominik employed Burgundian techniques on the Carignan to make it really sing. The wines are hand harvested, whole bunch fermented and have two weeks of skin contact. He wished to express the unique terroir of the plot by using foudre, instead of barrels, for 16 months of age. The wines are all about raw power. The have a delicate smoke and spice complexity that runs inside a taut acidity and a gorgeous, ethereal fruit profile. Only 2900 bottles are made each vintage and they are offered on allocation. Ideal with earthy mushroom pasta dishes, charcuterie, meatballs and hard cheeses. All vintages offered here, (aside from the 2007 as with Les Manyes) are awarded 96 points and above by The Wine Advocate. Magnums, double-magnums and imperials, are rarely, if ever seen.
Terroir al Limit, Les Manyes 2016
Priorat
In original carton. The famous 100 point Les Manyes
2 bottles per lot
Terroir al Limit is a famous, cult winery, high up in Priorat. The top Crus, Les Manyes and Les Tosses, have become über collectible over the last decade and now, just after the estate’s 20th birthday, Christie’s is delighted to present a rare selection of the top two Crus at auction.
Th winery began life in 2001 when food and wine obsessed German, Dominik Huber fell in love with Priorat after doing an internship at Mas Martinet. With the belief that this dramatic terroir had the potential to yield exceptional grapes and singular wines, he (with partner Eben Sadie) rented a small plot of old vine Garnacha and Carignan, along with some cellar space to vinify the first vintage.
As the project grew they took on more vineyards, and dedicated more time to farming, implementing biodynamics, and other methods to reduce the stress on vines in this stark and difficult terrain. This new approach paid off, directly impacting the quality of the fruit. With better grapes coming into the cellar, Dominik had a realisation: super-ripe grapes, combined with extractive winemaking, and aging in barriques was masking the essence of the vineyards. In contrast to the heavily extracted and oaked style, that was then so closely associated with Priorat, he started to practice whole-bunch fermentation; adopted gentler extraction; and barrels have been replaced with concrete tanks and large foudres. Dominik bottles in the Burgundian model: wines are classified as crus. The resulting lithe and elegant, pure and expressive wines have gone from strength to strength, and fully deserve the reputation and cult-status they’ve since acquired.
Les Manyes
Perched 800 metres above sea level, deep in the Montsant mountains, near the village of Scala Dei, is the vineyard of Les Manyes. It is planted to Garnacha Peluda (hairy Grenache), which has a downy fuzz on the leaves. These small hairs conserve moisture, which is fantastic in a region known for blazing heat during ripening. The wine is thus able to ripen at lower alcohol, with more acidity gained by an earlier harvest. The chalk soil of the plot also adds a nervy minerality to the wine. Dominik employs cement for 16 months ageing and the wines have a sublime brightness and finesse. They are akin to the great Grenache of the Rhône, Château Rayas. These are gastronomic wines, perfect with a dish of red snapper, venison, roasted root vegetables, quail or pumpkin. Vintages have become high scoring, with the Wine Advocate awarding 97 points and above to all wines offered here, bar the 2007 which is a special vintage from the estate’s reserve cellar. The 2016 is the vintage which was famously awarded a 100 points by the Wine Advocate. Only 3000-3500 bottles of Les Manyes are made and sold on allocation, therefore finding older vintages is rare. We are delighted that the estate has bottled magnums, double-magnums and imperials for this auction.
Les Tosses
Dominik discovered the 2 ha plot of Carignan, whilst riding his motorbike up the mountains around Priorat. 600 metres above sea level, these gnarly 80 year old vines are on black slate and the sun drenches the plot. Dominik employed Burgundian techniques on the Carignan to make it really sing. The wines are hand harvested, whole bunch fermented and have two weeks of skin contact. He wished to express the unique terroir of the plot by using foudre, instead of barrels, for 16 months of age. The wines are all about raw power. The have a delicate smoke and spice complexity that runs inside a taut acidity and a gorgeous, ethereal fruit profile. Only 2900 bottles are made each vintage and they are offered on allocation. Ideal with earthy mushroom pasta dishes, charcuterie, meatballs and hard cheeses. All vintages offered here, (aside from the 2007 as with Les Manyes) are awarded 96 points and above by The Wine Advocate. Magnums, double-magnums and imperials, are rarely, if ever seen.
Terroir al Limit, Les Manyes 2016
Priorat
In original carton. The famous 100 point Les Manyes
2 bottles per lot
Special notice
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If you choose to buy the wine out of bond Excise Duty as applicable will be added to the hammer price and Clearance VAT at 20% will be charged on the
Duty inclusive hammer price. Whether you buy the wine in bond or out of bond, 20% VAT will be added to the buyer’s premium and shown on the invoice
Brought to you by
Noah May
Head of Wine and Spirits EMEA