Clos Figueras and the Renaissance of Priorat.
After some earlier meetings in 2024 we recently had the opportunity to sit down for a lengthy interview with Christopher Cannan, the founder and owner of Clos Figueras in Priorat. A great opportunity to talk about the wines of this winery, Christopher’s background, and the history and future of Priorat. Join us as we unveil a story of vision and resurrection of an ancient wine region, that got the attention of the world.
The History of Priorat
Priorat has been making wine since the 13th century back when the Carthusian monks made wine at the original Priorat (priory) de Scala Dei, explaining the name of the region. However, due to the effects of phylloxera and civil wars the region went in strong decline from the late 19th century till the late 1980s, resulting in vineyards being abandoned and quality spiralling down. Through this period Scala Dei, situated at the original monastery’s cellars, was the only exporting producer in Priorat. Coincidentally it just so happens to be a bottling of the 1974 Scala Dei Priorat that grabbed Christopher’s attention when he drunk it in 1983, laying the foundations of the Clos Figueras of today.
The Re-Discovery of Priorat
But back to Priorat – the period of decline was ended by René Barbier, who in the 1980s convinced four other winemakers and viticulturists to acquire vineyards with old plantings of Grenache and Carignan near the village of Grattallops. In 1989 this resulted in their first wines, made with all their grapes combined. In 1992 the five of them ended up bottling their own wines from their own grapes, being Clos Mogador, Clos Dofí, Clos de l’Obac, Clos Martinet and Clos Erasmus. The wines were exceptional, gathering very high scores by critics such as Robert Parker. Ever since then, the region is back on the map, producing some of Spain’s finest red (and white) wines. Clos Figueras is also based in Grattallops, seen by many as the premier village of Priorat, represented by the original five ‘Clos’ wines and their respective winemakers.
Despite the modern day Priorat only existing for around 30 years, already back in 2009 the region was given the prestigious DOCa (DOQ in Catalan) status, which it only shares with one other region in Spain. Christopher himself first produced wine in 1999 (only ten years after the original Clos wines were made), following a recommendation by René Barbier to buy a single vineyard with great quality potential of just 10 hectares, called Clos Figueres. In the later years Christopher and his wife Charlotte further acquired high-quality plots of very old Grenache and Carignan vines, and extra vineyards were planted, combining to a total of 18 hectares.
From these 18 hectares only 30.000 bottles are made annually, giving an average yield of around 12-13 hectolitres per hectare (Burgundy grand crus can go up to 37), showing the effect of the poor, stony schistous soils, combined with old vines and a very dry growing season. As expected, these factors also contribute to the very high quality of the wines of Clos Figueras, and of the region as a whole.
Christopher originally met René through their mutual friend Álvaro Palacios – who in turn met Christopher in 1988 when attending a trade fair in New York (Christopher at the time owned an importing company in Bordeaux called Europvin). Ever since René and Christopher have been close friends, and at the beginning of Clos Figueras the wine was even made at the Clos Mogador cellar in Grattallops owned by René, who also took care of the vines. However, in 2002 a 300-year-old cellar was purchased where the cellar for Clos Figueras was to be established, which was expanded to the size it is today in 2011.
Priorat’s Characteristics
All in all, the days in Priorat are hot, which combined with the poor slate and schist soils, locally known as Llicorella (the Catalan name for slate), results in concentrated, structured wines, with plenty of ripeness. Thankfully due to the continental climate and the high altitude (400-700m) the nights are relatively cool, helping grapes retain acidity and freshness. The heat, combined with the poor soils and drought in summer results in very low yields – often only ten to fifteen hectoliters per hectare. In the greatest years there is often a good amount of snow in the winter – allowing water reserves deep underground to build up and provide water to the deeply rooted vines of Priorat during the dry summer months.
The schist of Priorat splits vertically, allowing for vines to grow deep root systems (comparable to the Mosel and Douro), greatly benefitting quality and providing resistance against drought. The latter is especially the case for older vines, making old-vine bottlings an interesting choice in vintages of drought. The heat in Priorat, being surrounded by mountains, naturally results in higher alcohol levels, with all wines tasted in this article being 14.5% alcohol or above. However, the higher alcohol is, in the very best wines of Priorat, balanced by intense fruit flavours – causing the alcohol to become fully integrated into the wine and not stand out at all.
The Grapes and Wines of Priorat
In Priorat there is an interesting mix of plantings. The traditional grapes of Grenache and Carignan have always been the focus of most wines but as of the 1990s more global varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are also commonly used, often used in smaller percentages as salt and pepper of the final blends. Christopher has also used these varieties from the beginning as their relatively higher acidities and structure work well in his more elegant style of winemaking – and they often add a more polished feel to what was in the past of Priorat a rather rustic, rugged style of wine. White wines are also made, commonly including Grenache Blanc for texture and structure, Viognier for aromatics and sometimes even some Chenin Blanc for freshness. The Font de la Figuera Blanco and Tinto bottlings of Clos Figueras are outstanding examples, with both wines showcasing the classic Priorat slatey minerality, along with a quintessential balance of power and elegance, and structure and sophistication.
In fact, the Font de la Figuera Blanco, consisting mostly of Viognier, was created by accident. Originally Christopher wanted a just few Viognier vines to complement his Syrah as in Côte Rôtie but instead he ended up with over 2.000 – which occurred when he was mistakenly sent Viognier vines by a nursery instead of the Cabernet Sauvignon vines, he ordered. The vines ended up performing quite well, which makes sense as both the homeland of Viognier, Condrieu, and Priorat have a comparable schistous soil – which caused Christopher to decide to use them for his Font de la Figuera Blanco and Serras del Priorat Blanco bottlings. These white wines combined account for roughly 20% of the production of Clos Figueras, a significantly higher proportion than at other estates. We were able to taste the Font de la Figuera Blanco and can conclude that the proof is definitely in the glass, yielding a very textural, gastronomic wine, comparable with the greatest Rhône white wines.
With regards to red Priorat, nowadays two general styles are produced, the traditional style focusing on strong extraction, intense tannins, structure and longevity, and the more modern style that combines structure and concentration with elegance and freshness. Christopher’s wines fall into the latter category, making them both being able to age effortlessly (the first vintage of his second wine, the Font de la Figuera 1999, is still going strong as of today) while also being relatively approachable young.
In fact, quality, freshness and elegance have always been hallmarks of Christopher’s wines. Whereas normally winemakers declassify their wines in colder years and might not make their top wine, Christopher instead puts more focus on the freshness of the wine, deciding to not make his Clos Figueres bottling at all when the grapes do not show enough freshness. This was evidenced in 2011 when a heat spike just before harvest made sugar levels in the grapes skyrocket – upon which Christopher decided to declassify all the top parcels with the oldest vines to the Font de la Figuera bottling. The result of this philosophy is that his wines are consistently elegant, polished and pure, never with any over ripeness or heavy-handedness and always with sophistication and concentration. One can see why the wines are regarded as some of the region’s finest.
The Wines of Clos Figueras
On different occasions we had the pleasure to taste the wines of Clos Figueras. For this article we took a deep-dive into three of their wines, with vintages currently available. We start off with the ‘second wine’ of the estate, Font de la Figuera, in a white and red version, after which we continue with their flagship wine, the red ‘Clos Figueres’.
2022 Clos Figueras – Font de la Figuera Blanco
A blend made from Viognier (60%), Grenache Blanc (35%) and Chenin Blanc (5%). Fun fact: the Viognier vines were once thought to be Cabernet Sauvignon. Average age of the vines is around 25 years. Complex and aromatic. A lot of texture and grip on the palate, while also carrying a great amount of freshness and floral elegance. Waxy, soft texture. Ripe stone and orchard fruit, salty minerality, bread dough and nuanced herbal notes of anise and lemongrass. Good acidity to balance the waxy richness of the wine. Very gastronomic, being able to stand up to intensely flavored dishes. Wonderful balance of the fruit and aromatics of Viognier, the weight and grip of Grenache Blanc, and the freshness and elegance of Chenin Blanc. Long and persistent finish. The wine is partly fermented in oak but is aged in stainless steel, partly explaining the rich texture without overt oaky, vanilla notes being present. Delicious example of how a wine can express freshness without it just being about acidity. Truly speaks of modern style of white Priorat, and exemplary in the style.
We reward this wine with a 92-point DWA score. Drink 2024-2030.
2020 Clos Figueras – Font de la Figuera Tinto
Mostly Grenache and Carignan, with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon added as salt and pepper. Average age of the vines is around 25 years. Aged for 12 months in 500-litre partly new French oak. Very sophisticated and complex nose. No over ripeness here, but ripe red and black fruit with slatey, smoky minerality, black pepper, sage, bramble, and nuanced oak notes. There is a floral, violet lift in the wine, perhaps explained by the Syrah being whole-bunch fermented. Smooth and polished tannins, while still firmly present. Velvety texture, comparable to the wines of Bordeaux’ Margaux. Good intensity and purity of fruit, and with very high fruit quality. Improves in the glass, suggesting a long live ahead of it. Lots of power on the palate, with the long finish being surprisingly elegant and fresh. Delightful.
We reward this wine with a 92-point DWA score. Drink 2024-2040.
2020 Clos Figueras – Clos Figueres
Made from very old vine Grenache and Carignan fruit with vines going back to the 1930s, with a bit of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in – all from the original Clos Figueres vineyard (while the wine is named Clos Figueres, after the original Catalan name of the vineyard, Christopher’s company is called Clos Figueras, as the name had to be in Spanish at the time of the founding of the company in 1997). Velvety texture, quite smooth but still with immense structure and tannic grip. Perfectly ripe, high-quality fruit. More emphasis on black fruit here than the Font de la Figuera, showing ripe black cherry, blueberry, smoky minerality, espresso, liquorice and dried herbs. The alcohol level of 15.5% is effortlessly balanced by the intense fruit flavours. Great freshness and elegance, especially on the finish, which goes on for minutes. Very intense, lots of power here. It has a certain floral, elegant lift to it, keeping the wine quite elegant and sophisticated. Oak is present but seamlessly integrated into the wine, a result of the wine being fermented and aged in the same 500-litre barrels. A phenomenal effort, which according to Christopher is yet to reach its peak. Quality-wise, this wine stands shoulder to shoulder with other famous clos wines, and is an ambassador of the region. Exceptional.
We reward this wine with a 95-point DWA score. Drink 2025-2055.
Besides the wines listed above, Serras del Priorat Tinto and Blanco are also produced, serving as fruitier introductions to the style of Clos Figueras. A sweet red vin doux naturel-style from Grenache was also introduced by Christopher’s Daughter Anne, focusing on the bright red and purple fruit and floral notes Grenache brings instead of the traditional oxidative rancio flavours. Furthermore, Christopher is currently among a select group of friends working with René Barbier in producing Espectacle del Montsant – a 100% Grenache wine from 120-year-old vines planted in 1908 on one of the highest, steepest limestone slopes of Montsant, yielding a Burgundy-like expression of Grenache. It is no surprise that this wine is regarded by many as the absolute pinnacle of the whole of Montsant.
The Future of Clos Figueras
Upcoming projects of Clos Figueras include more emphasis on Mourvèdre as Christopher loves the wines it produces in the schistous soils of Priorat (a passion which he shares with René Barbier, who is pushing for the DOQ to allow it as a variety – which seems logical as the variety was recommended by the original Scala Dei monks alongside Grenache), increased experimentation with whole bunch ferments for Grenache and Syrah, and slowly handing over more responsibilities to his daughter Anne, who is already in charge of the winemaking (along with a consultant) and much of the marketing and sales. Perhaps in the upcoming years an even more super-premium wine will also be released from the 2023 vintage, made from one of the very best barrels of Clos Figueras.
Besides producing world-class wine, Clos Figueras also provides cellar and vineyard tours, and has a luxurious three-room B&B, wine bar (where Font de la Figuera Tinto 2000 (!) is served) and restaurant combination – regarded as a must-visit within the region as a whole (be sure to book in advance though, since Priorat is only two hours drive away from Barcelona as of the last decade there has been a large increase of tourism in the area). Furthermore, Christopher recently released a memoir in which he described his extravagant journey of over 50 years within the world of wine, from working as cellar hand to building one of Spain’s most prestigious wineries. The book is named “ A Journey in the World of Wine” and can be found on Amazon or bought at the estate.
Conclusion
All in all, Christopher Cannan of Clos Figueras is an encyclopedia of wine knowledge, which combined with his love for Priorat results in iconic wines that serve as benchmarks of Priorat and stand shoulder to shoulder with the greatest wines of the world. After the interview we immediately sought out his book, and we plan on visiting soon!
This article is written by our own Martin Bronkhorst. The wines of Clos Figueras are imported in the Netherlands by Colaris and available through their online channel or selected retail and hospitality partners. We would like to thank Christopher Cannan of Clos Figueras for his time and outstanding wines.
