2020 Terroir al Limit Priorat Arbossar

Terroir al Limit is Dominik Huber's hommage to the wines of Priorat before Wine Critics from the 90's were chasing high-octane wines. His restrained approach to winemaking has resulted in wines that speak more of finesse, purity, and freshness, showing that Priorat wines do not have to be heavy, thick, and oaky. The use of high-altitude, old-vine plots allows him to harvest ripe fruit with maximum freshness, coupled with the use of whole-bunch fermentation, Huber’s wines have an almost Burgundian-like shape and structure, generating vibrancy and succulence.

100% Carignan from the Vi de Coster range (the equivalent of 1er Cru wine), Arbossar is a steep, 1.6-hectare vineyard composed of schist and granite soils (from vines more than 100 years old). The grapes are fermented as whole clusters with indigenous yeast and then aged in 3,500-litre Stockinger foudres and a variety of concrete tanks. Arbossar was planted on the cooler, north-facing slopes in the town of Torroja, resulting in a fresher and more floral style compared to its sibling Dits del Terra. The grapes are fermented as whole clusters with indigenous yeast and then aged in a variety of concrete tanks for 16 months.

Other Reviews....
An old-vine carignan that is naturally concentrated in flavors, but not in form. Some cement and crushed-stone character to the smoked blue fruit, wild berries, flowers and grilled herbs. Medium-to full-bodied palate with fresh fruit and a supple texture. Very fresh, delicate and composed for a carignan. Drink now or hold.
96 Points
JamesSuckling.com

The fruit profile of the 2020 Arbossar is completely different from the 2019s, with darker fruit and a smoky note, despite not having any oak (they stopped the foudres for this wine in 2016), but that note goes away with time in the glass. 2020 was a very challenging year, when they lost a lot of the grapes to mildew, and this is the only wine they produced; this is a vineyard near their house and winery and they had better access, other vineyards were difficult to reach because of the rain and also the limitations of manpower because of COVID-19. So, it's a year marked by mildew and the coronavirus. It's soft and fruit-driven, with round tannins and a soft mouthfeel. Drink 2022 - 2026.
93 Points
Luis Gutiérrez - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate