Celler Ardevol Anjoli Priorat

Celler Ardevol Anjoli Priorat is a 750ml, 15% ABV red wine from Spain's prestigious DOCa Priorat, blending Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on steep slate hillsides. The 2009 vintage earned 90-point ratings from both Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Jay Miller) and Wine Spectator, underscoring the wine's consistent quality from this small-production estate in Porrera.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15%  |  Origin: Priorat, Catalonia, Spain  |  Red Blend  |  Producer: Celler Ardevol

Production & Heritage

Celler Ardevol farms small, hand-worked vineyard parcels scattered across the steep licorella (slate and quartz) slopes surrounding the village of Porrera in Priorat. The estate follows organic and biodynamic principles, using no herbicides, pesticides, or synthetic fertilizers — sulphur is the only fungicide employed. Anjoli is a 50/50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coma d'en Romeu parcel and Grenache from El Menescal, fermented in open vats before spending 12 months in 225-liter used Allier oak barrels. These extremely low-yielding vines and the mineral-rich terroir produce a wine of notable concentration and structure.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with fresh dark berries and ripe plum, layered with licorice, cinnamon, and a subtle tobacco-leaf quality. A hint of leather and young oak emerges as the wine breathes.

Taste: On the palate, the entry is soft yet full, revealing rich blackberry and plum fruit at the mid-palate. A vein of stony minerality — characteristic of Priorat's licorella soils — cuts through the ripe fruit, adding tension and focus. Medium-to-full-bodied with fine, well-integrated tannins that carry the wine through to its peak.

Finish: The finish is remarkably long, with lingering notes of cigar box, aged cedar, and a smoky mineral echo. Gentle granular tannins persist, leaving a dry, satisfying close.

How to Drink Anjoli Priorat

Serve at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a large-bowled glass. Decanting for 30–60 minutes opens up the aromatic layers and softens the tannins considerably. This wine is built for the table: pair it with grilled lamb chops to complement its smoky depth, slow-braised short ribs where the wine's fruit concentration matches the richness, or aged Manchego where the mineral edge cuts through the fat of the cheese.

Best For

• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates terroir-driven Spanish reds
• Anchoring a dinner party around grilled or braised meats
• Building a cellar collection of benchmark Priorat wines
• Exploring the Grenache-Cabernet blend style from one of Spain's top appellations

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Anjoli Priorat taste like? Anjoli Priorat delivers rich dark berry and plum fruit underpinned by stony minerality, with notes of tobacco, cedar, and cigar box. It is medium-to-full-bodied with fine tannins and a long, smoky finish.

How does Anjoli Priorat compare to Châteauneuf-du-Pape? Both rely heavily on Grenache and share similar body and warmth, but Anjoli's 50% Cabernet Sauvignon adds more tannic structure, while Priorat's licorella slate soils impart a distinct stony minerality not typically found in southern Rhône wines. Châteauneuf-du-Pape tends toward more garrigue and herbal character, whereas Anjoli leans into dark fruit and tobacco.

Is Anjoli Priorat good for sipping on its own? Yes — its concentrated fruit, integrated oak, and long finish make it rewarding to drink neat, especially after 30–60 minutes of decanting to let the aromas fully open.

Where is Anjoli Priorat made? Anjoli is produced by Celler Ardevol in the village of Porrera, within the DOCa Priorat in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. The vineyards sit on steep hillsides of licorella — the distinctive slate and quartz soil that defines the region.

What foods pair well with Anjoli Priorat? Grilled lamb benefits from the wine's smoky minerality; slow-braised short ribs match its fruit concentration; aged hard cheeses like Manchego contrast its tannin structure; roasted root vegetables echo its earthy undertones; and cured charcuterie highlights the wine's spice and tobacco notes.

What sizes does Anjoli Priorat come in? Anjoli Priorat is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Anjoli Priorat worth the price? Anjoli positions as a mid-range Priorat, offering organic and biodynamic farming, hand-harvested fruit from low-yielding vines, and 12 months of oak aging — production values that many wines at higher price points in the appellation share. For drinkers seeking authentic, terroir-expressive Priorat, it represents strong value.

Why Anjoli Priorat?

What separates Anjoli from other Priorat reds at its level is the combination of rigorous organic and biodynamic viticulture with genuinely low-intervention winemaking on some of the region's steepest licorella slopes. The 90-point scores from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator for the 2009 vintage demonstrate the wine's ability to compete with far more expensive Priorat bottlings. Rather than relying on heavy new oak or overextraction, Celler Ardevol uses only seasoned Allier barrels, allowing the slate-driven minerality and ripe Grenache-Cabernet fruit to speak clearly. For anyone exploring DOCa Priorat beyond its flagship names, Anjoli is a serious, site-specific wine that earns its place in the conversation.