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Finca Dofí 2021

Finca Dofí

2021
The first Álvaro Palacios wine in the Priorat
96-98
PARKER

£118.45

/ 0.75 L btl
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Spec sheet

TypeRed wine
Region
Grapes
Producer
AllergensContains sulfites
Alcohol contenti14.5%
Production20,000 - 30,000 bottles

The wine

The first wine to originate from the winery of Álvaro Palacios in the Priorat made an appearance in 1989 and was called Clos Dofí. Back then, that bold new red wine started what would become the great wine-making revolution in the Catalan region. On the capsule of every bottle is written “Personalitat única” (unique personality), something which hasn’t changed. What has altered, however, is the name of the wine: from 1994 onwards, Clos Dofí became known as Finca Dofí and generally called simply Dofí. It was the first and continues to be one of the great wines from Álvaro Palacios and from the whole region.

What does this wine taste like?

Its fragrance is more discreet and refined than that of Gratallops, another of the magnificent red wines produced by Álvaro Palacios in the Priorat. On the nose, it’s all smoothness and elegance, the scent of fleshy grapes, whereas on the palate, it exhibits weightiness, complexity and depth on a truly amazing scale. Its mouthfeel is perfectly defined by an exceptional structure cemented in tannins, which might well bring to mind a superb Barolo, encased in wonderful, juicy fruit. Thanks to its directness and transparency, the warm minerality of the slate-quartz soils and the earthy dust come through in every sip. There’s hardly a trace of oak, and it’s true to say, this wine doesn’t appear to have any flaws at all. Finca Dofí is rounded and exuberant, yet it doesn’t renounce the restrained acidity which imbues it with vivacity and enables it to flow through the mouth with thrilling fluidity.

Light
Bold
Smooth
Tannic
Dry
Sweet
Soft
Acidic

Drinking and storing

It will show itself to perfection in a glass that has a sufficiently wide bowl and is fairly closed at the top, not allowing its aromas an easy escape.

It has 10-12 years of life ahead, following on from its vintage date, although it’s probably at its very best after 5 or 6 years.

Food pairing

Thanks to its fine-grained tannins and its outstanding balance, Finca Dofí is a very versatile red as regards food pairing. Roast lamb, roasted or grilled vegetables can make perfect partners.

cocidos-y-potajes
Stews and casseroles
carnes-rojas
Red meat
verduras-y-hortalizas
Vegetables

Ratings and awards

202196-98 PK
202096 PK95 SK
201997 PK96 PN96 SK
201896+ PK96 PN94 SK93 WS
201795 PK95 PN94 SK94 WS
201695-97 PK93 WS
PK: ParkerPN: PeñínSK: SucklingWS: Wine spectator

Wine critics reviewsReviews by Parker and Parker

The single-vineyard red 2019 Finca Dofí comes from the 14 hectares of vines planted across three parajes (lieu-dits) in Gratallops. This year, it's 87% Garnacha, 12% Cariñena and 1% white grapes (Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo. It fermented in oak vats with indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak barrels (bocoyes and foudres) for 14 months. It's classy, elegant and fresh with very clean aromas and flavors, not lacking concentration or power. There is superb definition and purity here; it has to be the finest and most elegant Dofí to date. It has finer tannins and more elegance than La Baixada this year. The 2018 was fragrant and this has more clout but superb balance. These two vintages have been great for Dofí. I still remember the 2005, hard as nails then and what the wine is now—spherical and velvety. Dofí on a roll... It was bottled in May 2021, and 21,146 bottles were produced.

— Luis Gutiérrez (30/07/2021)Robert Parker Wine Advocate Vintage 2019 - 97 PARKER

The single-vineyard 2020 Finca Dofí comes from the 14 hectares of vines planted across three parajes (lieu-dits) in Gratallops, a blend of 83% Garnacha, 12% Cariñena, 4% Picapoll—a grape with low sugar and high acidity (good for climate change) that he regrafted some four years ago—and 1% white grapes: Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo, all fermented in oak vats with 10% full clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in large oak barrels (bocoyes and foudres) for 15 months. It has good ripeness, 14.5% alcohol and a soft texture with nice balance, good freshness and fine tannins. 18,778 bottles and some other larger and smaller formats produced. It was bottled in May 2022.

— Luis Gutiérrez Robert Parker Wine Advocate Vintage 2020 - 96 PARKER

Customer reviews

4.8/5
8 reviews
Vintage:

Winemaking

The grapes are usually picked during the second half of September, with the end of harvest time extending well into October some years. Garnacha is always the predominant grape (80-90%), and the remainder is divided between Cariñena (8-12%) and a few clusters of white grapes (1%), such as Garnacha Blanca and Macabeo.

After the harvest, the grapes are destemmed, given a gentle press and left to ferment with native yeasts in wooden vats where they undergo periodic stirrings. Ageing that lasts for 14-20 months takes place in large French oak vats.

Ageing periodBetween 14 and 20 months
Type of woodFrench oak

Vineyards

Finca Dofí

Vine ageBetween 20 and 35 years
SoilLlicorella
ClimateMediterranean
OrientationNorth
Surface area14.00 hectares
Altitude300.00 meters

The winery

Álvaro Palacios

Álvaro Palacios

Álvaro Palacios came to the Priorat in 1989, to the town of Gratallops to be precise, following the lead of a group of local producers fully intending to pass on through their wines all the character of this land, full of its own brightness, with the shining Mediterranean sun, the gleaming slate in rocky crags, and brightly-coloured fennel in the olive groves. This is mystic, spiritual country tracing back its past to the Carthusian monks, who worked at cultivating vines...

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