Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofi Priorat 2019 (750ML)

97 WA / 96 JS

#29 James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of Spain 2021

The single-vineyard red 2019 Finca Dofí comes from the 14 hectares of vines planted across three parajes (lieu-dits) in Gratallops. This year, it's 87% Garnacha, 12% Cariñena and 1% white grapes (Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak barrels (bocoyes and foudres) for 14 months. It's classy, elegant and fresh with very clean aromas and flavors, not lacking concentration or power. There is superb definition and purity here; it has to be the finest and most elegant Dofí to date. It has finer tannins and more elegance than La Baixada this year. The 2018 was fragrant and this has more clout but superb balance. These two vintages have been great for Dofí. I still remember the 2005, hard as nails then and what the wine is now—spherical and velvety. Dofí on a roll... It was bottled in May 2021, and 21,146 bottles were produced.--Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

Cracked cloves and white pepper with dark fruit and iron. Perfumed and subtle. It’s full-bodied with a vertical layer of very fine tannins that give a creamy and round texture that turns almost powdery. Flavorful finish, yet refined. Give this time to open. Try after 2023. - James Suckling