Ferrer Bobet - the best winery in Priorat?
Much like the vineyards themselves, competition in Priorat is steep. There are many producers all vying to be the best in the region, though few can come close to Ferrer Bobet. Located over 15 hectares of vines in the esteemed Porrera subregion, the winery makes a range of wines that express the complexity of its soils and quality of its production techniques. The vineyards are almost exclusively made up of slate soil. These soils are the region’s most prized and are known locally as llicorella. The reputation of Ferrer Bobet Priorat in Spain and throughout the world is so high that is sometimes easy to forget that the winery was born relatively recently!The history of Ferrer Bobet Priorat
It may sound funny to talk about “history” with such a new winery, but Ferrer Bobet has already had some impressive milestones in its relatively short lifetime.- The winery is formed by friends Sergi Ferrer-Salat and Raül Bobet and is named Ferrer Bobet.
- Ferrer Bobet’s vineyards are planted in 2004 and 2005. The vines used are 100 years old.
- The first Ferrer Bobet wines, Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles 2005 and Ferrer Bobet Selecció Especial Vinyes Velles 2005, are released onto the market in 2008.
- Word spreads about the excellent organic wines of Ferrer Bobet, and the winery deservedly earns a reputation as one of the best Priorat wines.
3 Ferrer Bobet wines you must try
The Ferrer Bobet wine range is seriously impressive, and you won’t find a bad wine in the bunch. We have picked out three of our favourites from the range, though, and we can’t recommend them highly enough!- Ferrer Bobet 2014 is a new release, having only recently come onto the market. This is a big, bold blend of Cariñena, Garnacha Negra, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has undergone ageing of 12 months in French oak barrels, of which 60% was new oak. Grab a bottle of this, and you’re in for a full-bodied and complex red that will perfectly complement any rich game meats or birds.
- Ferrer Bobet Vinyes Velles 2014 is another new arrival, and again from the 2014 vintage. Here, the winemakers have eschewed the international grape varieties; the blend is 70% Cariñena and 30% Garnacha Negra. These grapes come from those old vines that we mentioned early. Their 100+ years of existence give rise to rich and concentrated wines. Further, the wine has been aged for 15 months in French oak and at least another 11 months in bottle. Pair this one with a Sunday roast!
- Ferrer Bobet Selecció Especial 2013 is our final selection and is very special indeed. Just released onto the market, this one is 100% Cariñena and is made in extremely limited quantities - just 3000 bottles were produced in the 2013 vintage! With 18 months’ ageing in new French oak and a further 15 months in bottle, this is a powerful and complex wine. This is a great steak wine, and will pair beautifully with your favourite cut of beef.
The best Priorat wines
Ferrer Bobet comes close, but there are actually even more premium Priorat wines out there. For us, the top two Priorat wines are L’Ermita and Clos Erasmus.- L’Ermita, the top wine from Alvaro Palacios, is absolutely sensational. Vintages of this wine are in short supply and always sell out fast. Snap up L’Ermita 2006 or L’Ermita 2012 while you can!
- Clos Erasmus is a firm favourite of Robert Parker, and routinely receives excellent scores. Tiny yields lead to highly concentrated wines bursting with character. Clos Erasmus 2004, with 100 Robert Parker points, demonstrates the wine’s fantastic ageing potential.
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