Adrets del Priorat – 2021 NerinTerra

Adrets del Priorat – 2021 NerinTerra.

A Priorat of elegance and quiet power, where ripe fruit, minerality, and refined winemaking come together in remarkable balance.

The name Belondrade has become synonymous with Rueda and the benchmark whites of Didier Belondrade, most notably Belondrade y Lurton. That his son Jean has ventured beyond this family legacy into the rugged terrain of Priorat marks a fascinating new chapter. 

What began as an invitation from a family friend to take on a forgotten vineyard has since grown into a project that shows Priorat through a lens of precision, restraint, and modernity.

Clos de l’Afeitador, the original holding, was a vineyard of just 2.9 hectares, planted in 1980 with Garnacha and Cariñena. Left to decline for years, it demanded a painstaking process of restoration: rebuilding terraces, reviving old vines, and carefully studying the soils. By 2018, the first vintage of Nerin Terra had been released – a small-scale production that immediately hinted at great promise. Today, under the banner of Adrets del Priorat, the Belondrade family cultivates around 7.5 hectares, with diverse soils, altitudes, and exposures, and a commitment to organic certification.

The 2021 Nerin Terra is not just another Priorat; it is a thoughtful expression of place, shaped by careful vineyard work and a philosophy that prioritizes harmony over sheer force.

About the Vineyard and Vinification

Priorat is one of Spain’s most storied regions, known for its steep slopes, old vines, and distinctive llicorella soils. Wines here are often powerful, structured, and unapologetically bold. Yet Nerin Terra demonstrates that Priorat can also be elegant, fine-boned, and almost Burgundian in its approach to detail.

Where traditional Priorat leans heavily on sheer concentration, this wine highlights freshness and layering. The altitude (150–400 meters) and soil variation play key roles in creating that balance. In many ways, this is a “new Priorat” – less about blockbuster power, more about refined expressions of terroir.

The vineyard of origin, Clos de l’Afeitador, is set on a steep, amphitheater-like slope between El Molar and Bellmunt. The site’s orientation and its soils – a patchwork of llicorella (slate with mica quartz), limestone, and clay – give rise to grapes of concentration yet also finesse. The vineyard’s surrounding forest helps regulate the microclimate, lending the wines freshness despite Priorat’s heat.

The 2021 blend is composed of 77% Garnacha, 18% Cariñena, and 5% other indigenous varieties. Each grape ripens at different times and is harvested and vinified separately. Fermentation is spontaneous, using indigenous yeasts, and the wine ages for 24 months in used 300- and 500-liter French oak barrels. This long, gentle élevage ensures integration of fruit and structure, without overshadowing the purity of the vineyard. Production is limited to about 3,000 bottles.

About the Wine

The 2021 Nerin Terra opens with a luminous garnet core, tinged with youthful purple reflections. Aromatically, it is complex but not overstated. Black plums and ripe blackberries set the tone, supported by cassis and hints of wild herbs. Subtler layers unfold with time in the glass: black olives, licorice root, black truffle, dried tobacco leaf, and a medley of spices. A faint note of early maturity adds depth, suggesting this wine is already entering a beautiful drinking window.

On the palate, the wine is simultaneously full-bodied and graceful. Ripe, juicy fruit forms the heart, while fresh acidity (pH 3.4) and finely polished tannins give definition. The alcohol, listed at 15%, is seamlessly integrated, more a structural backbone than a dominating force. Texturally, the wine is velvet-like, gliding across the palate with layered elegance. Spicy notes – white pepper, clove, and a touch of anise – emerge toward the finish, which is long, clean, and persistent.

Time in the glass only enhances the wine’s appeal. After two to four hours, fruit, spice, and mineral notes knit together more seamlessly, underscoring both the wine’s precision and its patience-demanding nature. This is a Priorat that rewards slow enjoyment, best appreciated with air and contemplation.

Conclusion

Adrets del Priorat’s 2021 Nerin Terra is a wine of quiet confidence – not a flamboyant powerhouse, but a carefully crafted, terroir-driven Priorat that speaks of its origins with clarity. It combines depth and freshness, concentration and finesse, power and restraint. For lovers of Priorat, it offers a more refined perspective; for those discovering the region, it provides an approachable yet serious entry point.

With only 3,000 bottles made, availability is limited, but this is a wine worth seeking out. It will drink beautifully now with decanting but has the structure and balance to evolve gracefully over the next decade.

We award this wine a 92-point DWA score – a modern, elegant Priorat that honors tradition while pointing toward the region’s future.

This review is written by our own Niels Aarts. The wines of Adrets del Priorat are imported and distributed in the Netherlands by Résidence Wijnen.

• Price: €45,00
• Taste Date: July 2025 
• Glass Type: Spiegelau Definition Bordeaux
• Writer: Niels Aarts
• Score: 92/100 DWA Score  
• Website: Adrets del Priorat