Clos Erasmus

Daphne Glorian came to Priorat through the wine trade rather than viticulture. She was born in Paris and is of Swiss-German ancestry, studied law in Paris in her twenties, and discovered fine wine while working as office manager for the late British Master of Wine Kit Stevens in his Paris office. At a wine fair in the late 1980s she met René Barbier and Álvaro Palacios. In 1988 she spent her savings on 17 terraces of vines on a wooded hillside just outside Gratallops, the parcel that became Escales. Her first vintage, 1989, was made in the shared Gang of Five cellar at Gratallops alongside Barbier (who labelled his wine Clos Mogador), Palacios (Clos Dofí), Josep Lluís Pérez of Mas Martinet (Clos Martinet), and Carles Pastrana of Costers del Siurana (Clos de l'Obac). The five producers pooled fruit, equipment, and labour for the 1989, 1990, and 1991 vintages, then each established an independent operation. Glorian named her company Clos i Terrasses and her top wine Clos Erasmus.

• Daphne Glorian was born in Paris, is of Swiss-German ancestry, and trained in law in Paris before discovering wine through Master of Wine Kit Stevens
• She met René Barbier and Álvaro Palacios at a wine fair in the late 1980s and purchased 17 terraces above Gratallops in 1988
• First vintage 1989 was produced in the shared Gang of Five cellar at Gratallops with Barbier, Palacios, Josep Lluís Pérez, and Carles Pastrana
• The five producers shared the Gratallops facility for the 1989, 1990, and 1991 vintages before each pioneer established an independent estate

Clos i Terrasses covers approximately 25.6 hectares at 375 to 450 metres elevation outside Gratallops, all on llicorella, the fissured carboniferous schist with quartz veining that defines Priorat's terroir. The estate is built around six parcels. Escales is the original 1.7-hectare north-facing parcel of 17 terraces, replanted to 100 percent Garnatxa after 2019. Aubagues mixes Garnatxa (about 56 percent) and Syrah (about 44 percent) and was recently replanted on costers (slopes) rather than terraces. Socarrats is a 3.12-hectare warm-terroir parcel of Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Les Vaques (1.4 hectares, north-facing, planted 2018 to 2019), Guinarderes (2.9 hectares, south to southeast facing), and Solanes (11 hectares with a 2020 Garnatxa planting) round out the estate, along with a recent acquisition at Les Manyetes with white and red varieties. Plantings overall sit at roughly 75 percent Garnatxa, 20 percent Syrah, and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Most vines run around 40 years old, with one small plot near 85 years; farming is certified organic, and the estate has worked with viticulturist Ester Nin (joined 2004) on biodynamic practice.

• Approximately 25.6 hectares at 375 to 450 metres on llicorella schist outside Gratallops; six named parcels: Escales, Aubagues, Socarrats, Les Vaques, Guinarderes, Solanes
• Plantings roughly 75 percent Garnatxa, 20 percent Syrah, 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon; Cariñena is not in the flagship blend
• Most vines around 40 years old with one small plot near 85 years; the oldest material anchors the flagship's old-vine character
• Certified organic farming with viticulturist Ester Nin (joined 2004); biodynamic practice across the estate

Clos Erasmus is a Garnatxa-led blend sourced from three parcels: Escales, Aubagues, and Socarrats. Vintage composition has shifted over time. The Parker-100 2004 vintage was 75 percent Garnatxa, 15 percent Syrah, and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon; recent vintages typically run closer to 70 percent Garnatxa with 30 percent Syrah, reflecting the plan to phase Cabernet out of the flagship. Each variety is hand-harvested and fermented separately with indigenous yeasts in oak tanks, concrete, and amphorae, with a 35-day maceration and occasional pigeage (Glorian transitioned from pigeage toward pumpover beginning with the 2015 vintage). Élevage is approximately 17 months in 228-litre French oak barriques, with the current ratio around 40 percent new (about five new and seven second-fill barrels per cycle). Concrete and amphorae were introduced from the 2013 vintage and now also age portions of the wine. Production sits around 3,000 to 3,500 bottles per vintage. Daphne co-runs the estate with her husband Eric Solomon, owner of European Cellars in Charlotte, North Carolina. Solomon tasted the first Clos Erasmus in the early 1990s, became the wine's U.S. importer, and married Daphne in 1997; European Cellars remains the longtime U.S. importer for Clos i Terrasses.

• Flagship blend sources Garnatxa, Syrah, and (historically) Cabernet Sauvignon from Escales, Aubagues, and Socarrats; recent vintages roughly 70 percent Garnatxa and 30 percent Syrah
• 2004 vintage was 75 percent Garnatxa, 15 percent Syrah, 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon; estate plans to phase Cabernet out over time
• Indigenous yeast fermentation in oak, concrete, and amphorae with 35-day maceration; about 17 months in 228-litre French oak barriques at around 40 percent new
• Concrete and amphorae aging added from the 2013 vintage onward; production roughly 3,000 to 3,500 bottles per vintage
• Co-run with husband Eric Solomon, owner of European Cellars (Charlotte, North Carolina), the longtime U.S. importer; Solomon and Glorian married in 1997

Laurel is the estate's second wine, drawing on younger-vine fruit and parcels not used in the flagship. The blend is approximately 75 percent Garnatxa, 20 percent Syrah, and 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from younger Garnatxa on costers at Aubagues, Socarrats, Guinarderes, and Les Vaques. Élevage runs about 16 to 18 months across 20-hectolitre French oak tanks, concrete vats, neutral 228-litre French oak barriques, and clay amphorae, producing a more aromatic, lighter-bodied wine than the flagship. The estate has also added a white wine, Laurel Blanc, built around Garnatxa Blanca with Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Moscatel.

• Second wine drawing on younger vines and parcels not selected for the flagship; approximately 75 percent Garnatxa, 20 percent Syrah, 5 percent Cabernet Sauvignon
• Sources include younger Garnatxa from Aubagues costers, Socarrats, Guinarderes, and Les Vaques
• Aged 16 to 18 months across 20-hectolitre French oak tanks, concrete, neutral 228-litre barriques, and clay amphorae
• Estate also produces Laurel Blanc, a white blend of Garnatxa Blanca with Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Moscatel

Clos Erasmus is one of the most decorated wines of Priorat. The 2004 vintage scored 100 points from Robert Parker, making Clos i Terrasses the first Priorat estate to earn that score; the 2005 and 2013 vintages also reached 100 points from The Wine Advocate, and recent releases have continued to score 97 to 100 points across the major publications. When Priorat introduced its new vineyard-classification system from the 2017 vintage (the Burgundy-style pyramid of Vi de Vila, Vi de Paratge, Vinya Classificada, and Gran Vinya Classificada), Daphne Glorian chose not to participate. She has said she fully supports the new noms de la terra framework but feels Clos Erasmus and Laurel are established enough that adding the classification names to her labels would serve no purpose. The wine therefore remains labelled simply as DOQ Priorat. Production is small (about 3,000 to 3,500 bottles), U.S. allocation runs through European Cellars, and back-vintage bottles trade well above release price on the secondary market.

• 100 points from Robert Parker for the 2004, 2005, and 2013 vintages; first Priorat estate to earn a 100-point Parker score
• Recent releases regularly score 97 to 100 points across major publications; production sits around 3,000 to 3,500 bottles per vintage
• Priorat's new vineyard classification was introduced from the 2017 vintage with tiers Vi de Vila, Vi de Paratge, Vinya Classificada, and Gran Vinya Classificada
• Daphne Glorian declined to participate; she supports the framework but does not see a need to add the classification names to Clos Erasmus or Laurel labels
• U.S. allocation runs through European Cellars (Charlotte, North Carolina), founded and owned by Eric Solomon