MAY SPECIAL OFFER :: 15% discount on purchases of 12 or more bottles :: 10% discount on purchases of 6 to 11 bottles :: Discounts apply to mixed cases :: Offer valid until 31st May :: Free nationwide shipping on orders of $400 or more ::
International Fine Wines
International Fine Wines
International Fine Wines
International Fine Wines

Terroir al Límit

Priorat Remastered

In just twenty years Dominik Huber has created something unique in Priorat and, arguably, in Spain as a whole. While these Catalan hills south of Barcelona are no stranger to critically fêted wine, Huber’s transparent, pared-back examples are both striking and radical in the Priorat context. His is a style of Priorat that has seen critics and other wine people scrambling to offer plaudits and comparisons.

Through many years of trial and error, Huber has managed to evolve a style of Priorat that is all about mesmerising finesse, purity and freshness. With old-vine Carignan and Grenache as the conduit for the reds, Huber has now shown the wine world that Priorat wines do not have to be heavy, thick and oaky. And he has also shown that the whites of the region can be every bit as great as the reds. They are beautiful, textural and mineral whites that taste as if they’ve been tapped directly from Priorat’s rocky soils.

Dominik Huber’s wines have redefined what we all once thought was possible from the vineyards of Catalonia.

Huber’s vineyard selection has involved a search for high-altitude, old-vine plots that allow him to harvest ripe fruit with maximum freshness. He practices biodynamic viticulture and picks as early as possible (he would pick even earlier if the DOCa allowed it). Huber uses whole-bunch (there’s no de-stemmer at the winery) and carbonic fermentation to significant effect, favouring an infusion-over-extraction approach. The wines are raised in concrete only. All this lends Huber’s wines an almost Burgundian-like shape and structure, generating vibrancy and succulence, with the emphasis placed squarely on the glowing, stony, mineral essence of Priorat’s soils.

Terroir al Límit is a domaine in a constant state of progress, forever seeking to refine and improve their way of working. The arrival of head winemaker Tatjana Peceric to assist Dominik Huber, and the quality emanating from the Montsant project, Terroir Sense Fronteres, are two significant examples in point. In recent years, the range has been downscaled to allow more focus on what Rajat Parr has termed the domaine’s “maniacal farming practices”.

The Range

Terroir al Límit Priorat Arbossar 2021
$216.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Arbossar 2021

Another Vi de Coster, the equivalent of 1er Cru. Arbossar is a steep, 1.6-hectare vineyard of 100-plus-year-old Carignan planted on schist and granite. It’s close to the village of Torroja, where the Terroir al Límit cellars are based. Against conventional wisdom, Arbossar was planted on cooler, north-facing slopes. It was this unusual site, purchased in 2005, that informed much of Huber’s early experience with the terroirs of Priorat. As Luis Gutiérrez explains, it’s always a “fresher and more floral style” than the corresponding Dits del Terra (from the south-facing slopes). It’s picked earlier, too. The wines are made in a similar fashion: 100% whole-bunch vinification with wild yeasts and 16 months’ maturation, exclusively in concrete. Huber describes Arbossar as a wine with a French soul, a German head and a Spanish heart; we describe it as deeply impressive. With its striking perfume and refreshing spine wrapped in layers of raspberry and floral fruit, it is the most Burgundy-shaped Arbossar to date. This is finesse through and through.

“The 2021 Arbossar matured exclusively in concrete, and they also shortened the élevage because they saw that a longer élevage tired the wines a little too much and decided to bottle them before the following harvest. The wine is clean and precise, like a laser cut, with focus and red rather than black fruit. It's medium-bodied, has moderate alcohol, 13.5%, and very fine tannins. A surprisingly elegant Cariñena. This is a cool vineyard that delivers serious wines.”
95 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
“Huge nose with fresh yet ripe blue fruit, berries, flowers, white pepper and ginseng. This has excellent depth of fruit on the palate with dissolved but supportive tannins. Really long and tangy finish. A wine that I’d want to finish a bottle. Lasting almost a minute with pure fruit. A naked beauty. Drink or hold.”
97 points, Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com
Terroir al Límit Priorat Arbossar 2021
$216.00
Added
Terroir al Límit Priorat Dits del Terra 2021
$216.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Dits del Terra 2021

Dits del Terra is another Vi de Coster (equivalent to 1er Cru). It can be thought of as Arbossar’s south-facing sibling. It is also 100% Carignan, from three schist-rich sites where the vines are more than 80 years old. Dits del Terra was one of the first vineyards that Huber and his then-partner, Eben Sadie, acquired when they started making wine together in Priorat. The south-facing terroir brings more flesh and power, yet also beautiful acidity. The viticulture is, as always, biodynamic, and this site is currently undergoing organic certification. Huber and Peceric infuse the juice gently, using a jug to pour it over the whole bunches, and from 2021 it is vinified entirely in concrete. Again, there is so much brightness and charm, with svelte tannins and precise acidity slowly tapering to a lingering, mineral close. Priorat-Chambertin, anyone?

“The 2021 Dits del Terra shows lower alcohol and more freshness, and it has an herbal note and feels very young and undeveloped. Like most of the 2021s, they shortened the time of aging, and it was completely in concrete and didn't touch any oak (they sold all the foudres). There's purity and precision, elegance and freshness.”
96 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
“Reductive and a little decadent on the nose with some dried roses, ripe berries, wet earth and moss. Extremely bright and lively on the fleshy palate with lots of sap, succulent and fine, firm tannins. Meaty fruit with so much verve and purity. Long and broad finish. Drink or hold.”
96 points, Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com
Terroir al Límit Priorat Dits del Terra 2021
$216.00
Added
Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Negre 2022
$74.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Negre 2022

Terroir Históric is Dominik Huber’s homage to the wines of Priorat before high-octane winemaking techniques from France—and the influence of stateside critics—took hold. With this idea to create an all-encompassing view of Priorat, the vineyards for Históric cover multiple soil types and terroirs across these concertinaed hills: from slate to clay and granite to alluvial soils; from aubagues (shady spots) to solanes (sunny spots); and from 350 to 800 metres in altitude. All sites are certified organic. The Históric Negre is 75% Grenache and 25% Carignan—roughly the same blend used in this region a generation ago. A healthy dose of the Grenache was grown in La Morera, high in the Montsant ranges on clay/limestone soils. The remainder of the fruit came from vines throughout Priorat, grown on slate and schist, providing savoury minerality. Fermented as whole clusters with indigenous yeasts, the wine was then aged for six months in a 5,000-litre concrete tank.

“The red 2022 Terroir Històric was produced with a blend of 75% Garnacha and 25% Cariñena from nine different villages where the soils are also different—slate, clay, granite and alluvial—from vines of around 20 years of age. The full clusters fermented with natural yeasts, and the wine matured for six months in stainless steel tanks. It's the ripest of the reds from 2022, with 14% alcohol but kept good freshness and a pH of 3.54. It's primary and juicy, young and tender, with fine tannins.”
92 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Negre 2022
$74.00
Added
Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Blanc 2023
$74.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Blanc 2023

Terroir Históric is Dominik Huber’s homage to the wines of Priorat before high-octane winemaking techniques from France—and the influence of stateside critics—took hold. With this idea to create an all-encompassing view of Priorat, the vineyards for Históric cover multiple soil types and terroirs across these concertinaed hills: from slate to clay and granite to alluvial soils; from aubagues (shady spots) to solanes (sunny spots); and from 350 to 800 metres in altitude. All sites are certified organic. This white is 75% Grenache Blanc and 25% Macabeo, roughly the same blend as would have been used generations ago. Over the years, the style has lessened its reliance on skin contact, so today the grapes are mostly pressed as whole clusters, with the juice spontaneously fermented and raised on lees for six months in a 5,000-litre concrete tank. No destemming, no stainless steel, no pigeage, no extraction and no new oak—nothing added, nothing taken away. The result is a fresh, mineral, expressive white that oozes texture and stony savouriness.

"The 2023 Terroir Històric Blanc aims to express the Priorat character through using grapes from the different villages. The blend is 75% Garnacha Blanca and 25% Macabeo, fermented with full clusters in concrete for three to five days and aged it in stainless steel for six months. It has a pale and bright color and an expressive nose with some savory qualities, reminiscent of food (broth) that brings me to the umami character. It's complex and elegant, with pungent and marked flavors. It comes in with 13% alcohol.”
93 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Terroir al Límit Priorat Históric Blanc 2023
$74.00
Added
Terroir al Límit Priorat Terra de Cuques Negre 2021
$114.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Terra de Cuques Negre 2021

Terra de Cuques Negre is the new name for Terroir al Límit’s former Torroja Vi de Vila (village wine). This is primarily because Huber wanted to introduce fruit from a variety of villages, not only Torroja. This 2021 is the fourth release to include fruit from several small vineyards in the cooler, high-altitude terroirs of Poboleda and La Morera, heading northwards towards the Montsant ranges. Despite the new vineyards, the wine remains an equal split of Carignan and Grenache. Over 350 metres above sea level, these vineyards are some of the highest old-vine red sites in Priorat (the youngest vines for this blend are more than 30 years old). Most of the vines sit on llicorella slate soils, except for a portion of the Grenache, which is planted on much sparser limestone/clay soils. This cuvée is also the beneficiary of any declassified material from Terroir al Límit’s top vineyards. Made with 100% whole bunches, the grapes were harvested by hand and layered into tank, where their weight produced just enough juice to begin fermentation. The wine was raised in a variety of concrete tanks for 14 months. 

“There is a lot of precision, clarity and focus in the mineral 2021 Terra de Cuques, which has moderate ripeness and a fresher sensation than in the 2019, despite having the same alcohol (13.5%). 2019 could be the modern version of the 2016, with finesse and elegance. This is the first vintage completely without any oak, an important change for them. It opens up nicely with time in the glass, developing a fresh herbal note.”
93+ points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
Terroir al Límit Priorat Terra de Cuques Negre 2021
$114.00
Added
Terroir al Límit Priorat Les Manyes 2021
$698.00
Added

Terroir al Límit Priorat Les Manyes 2021

Vi d’Altura, the equivalent of Grand Cru. High in the Montsant ranges, the Manyes vineyard is located at the remarkable altitude of 800 metres (the highest in Priorat). This cool, north-facing site is only 1.4 hectares, and the vines are now about 55 years old. While Les Tosses is planted to Carignan on pure llicorella slate, Les Manyes is predominantly clay with elements of quartz and limestone and is planted almost exclusively to Grenache. It produces a Priorat Grenache like no other—if we had to put forward a single bottling that symbolises the unique wines of Dominik Huber, this would be it. This year, Huber told us that the Grenache here is actually Garnatxa Peluda, a mutation of Grenache Noir producing smaller, thicker-skinned berries with higher acidity and less alcohol. Perhaps this is a key to the wine’s beguiling personality. Regardless, it is the antithesis of Priorat’s blockbuster image with the intensity, finesse and transparency of a great Grand Cru Burgundy. Huber ferments this cuvée with 100% whole bunches and indigenous yeasts and, as of the 2016 vintage, the wine has no contact with wood. Again, it is expensive, but we’re talking about one of Spain’s greatest reds, with a price tag that remains about one-third of its closest Priorat competitor.

“The impressive 2021 Les Manyes was very young and a little closed, even reductive and took time in the glass to take off. It slowly developed an acute note of violets and wild plants. It has a little more color than the 2019, but the maceration was more or less the same, so it must be from the year. It's very attractive, juicy and easy to drink, with notes that made me think of Château Rayas. It's fresher than the 2019 I tasted next to it. It's elegant and fruit-driven, right now very young, and it still doesn't have the complexity that it should gain over time.”
97 points, Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate
“An epiphany here with its wild, tangy nose full of white pepper, mezcal, blood oranges, forest floor and dried herbs. Really broad and precise, with a chunk of fine, mealy tannins that knit seamlessly on the palate. Nice bitterness at the end to seal it up before an extremely long, nervy finish. Pure garnacha peluda from Les Manyes vineyard. It goes on and on. 3506 bottles. Irresistibly attractive now, but can hold.”
99 points, Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com
Terroir al Límit Priorat Les Manyes 2021
$698.00
Added
Show All

AT-A-GLANCE

• Germany-born former chef Dominik Huber founded this Priorat estate in 2001.

• Huber fell in love with the region while working as an intern at the Mas Martinet winery.

• During that time, he met his Terroir al Límit founding partner, Eben Sadie, the visionary South African vigneron who returned home in 2012.

• The range comprises four tiers from négoce bottlings (labelled Històric) through village (Terra de Cuques) wines to premier (Arbossar, Dits del Terra, Pedra de Guix) and grand cru (Manyes and Tosses).

• Huber's style is a resolute riposte to heavy, over-extracted, oaky Priorat.

• He practices biodynamic viticulture and picks as early as possible with 100% bunch fermentations, foot-stomping, infusion and raising in concrete (zero oak).

• These reds from Garnacha and Carignan show the power of old vines in schist soils with no winemaking artifice.

• There is also a while from Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo and Pedro Ximénez.



IN THE PRESS

“I revelled in these stunning Priorats [of Terroir al Límit] ... These are wines that offer intensity of flavour instead of overwhelming power, and elegance and personality on a worldclass level.” Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate

“I tasted a really breathtaking collection of wines here, both whites and reds. Terroir al Límit is one of the names that are defining the Priorats of the 21st century.” Luis Gutiérrez, The Wine Advocate

“Next level wines. I can think of few Spanish producers making wines of such excitement, charisma and transparent-feeling representation of place. Terroir al Límit produce cuvees of skeletal architecture, and filigreed expression of grape varieties, like no other from Priorat, let alone Spain.” Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

“Beauty and finesse are not words I often use about Priorat reds, but I make an exception for these wines. Dominik Huber is that rare breed of winemaker: someone capable of putting a whole new interpretation on the wines of his region.” Huon Hooke, The Real Review

Country

Spain

Primary Region

Priorat, Catalunya

People

Winemakers: Dominik Huber & Tatjana Peceric

Availability

National

While you're here

Welcome