10 Nov Rocapoll 2021: Old Vines, Bold Identity in Priorat’s Steep Terrain
When it comes to wines that tell a story—of place, vine age, and dedication—Rocapoll 2021 by Celler Devinssi stands out. Tasted and reviewed by Andreas Larsson, former Best Sommelier of the World, this wine has already attracted serious acclaim. But what makes Rocapoll more than just an exceptional glass? The answer lies deep in the slate soils of Priorat, in two parcels of gnarled old Carignan vines, and in its classification as Vi de Vila.
Let’s take a closer look.
What is Rocapoll?
Rocapoll is a limited-production red wine from Celler Devinssi, a small winery located in the historic village of Gratallops, in Catalonia’s rugged Priorat region. Made exclusively from old-vine Carignan (Samsó in Catalan), the wine hails from two vineyard plots. The vines are dry-farmed, hand-harvested, and grow on steep llicorella slopes—Priorat’s signature crumbly slate that forces roots to dig deep and produces small, intensely flavoured grapes.
Production is extremely limited. We’re talking just a few hundred bottles per year at times. This isn’t wine made for the masses. It’s crafted to express a place, a grape variety, and a vision.
Vi de Vila: Priorat’s Village-Level Classification
Since 2009, Priorat wines can be labelled by their village of origin, under a classification known as Vi de Vila (literally “village wine”). The concept draws inspiration from the Burgundian model of recognising terroir at increasingly specific levels—from region to village to vineyard. Rocapoll bears the designation Vi de la Vila de Gratallops.
Why does this matter?
Because Gratallops is one of Priorat’s beating hearts. It’s home to some of the region’s top estates—Clos Mogador, Álvaro Palacios, Clos Erasmus—and boasts vineyards planted on precipitous llicorella slopes with ideal sun exposure. The Vi de Vila classification indicates that this wine isn’t simply from Priorat—it’s from this particular village, shaped by its unique terroir.
Old Carignan Vines: A Force of Nature
Carignan often plays a supporting role to Garnacha (Grenache) in Spanish blends, but when it comes from old vines, the story changes. Carignan is a vigorous variety, and in young vineyards it can produce rustic, overly tannic wines. With age—especially past 70 years—it evolves dramatically.
Old Carignan vines develop deep root systems and produce naturally low yields. The result is concentration without excess, natural balance, and remarkable structure. The acidity is lively, the fruit dark and intense, and there’s often a spicy, earthy complexity that’s hard to describe but unforgettable in the glass.
And that’s what makes Rocapoll special. This isn’t supermarket Carignan—it’s a pure, powerful expression of a challenging variety grown in unforgiving terrain, made by a winemaker who knows how to let the vineyard speak.
Tasting Rocapoll 2021
Andreas Larsson’s tasting note on the 2021 vintage captures its essence:
“Pure nose with fine oak, wild berries, plum, garrigue and wild herbs. Dense and concentrated palate with fine proportions, polished tannins, and a long, vigorous finish.” Read the full tasting note.
This is a wine that’s rich yet refined. The wild berries and plums lend ripeness, but they’re balanced by freshness and a clean mineral thread, likely thanks to the slate soils. The oak is present but restrained—just enough to round the edges. There’s elegance and tension here, not just raw power.
The mention of “garrigue”—typically used to describe the wild herbs and scrubland of the Mediterranean—grounds the wine in its landscape. This is unmistakably Priorat.
Why It Matters
Rocapoll 2021 isn’t just another Priorat red. It’s a lens into a specific vineyard in a specific village in one of Spain’s most iconic wine regions. It shows what’s possible when old vines are respected, fruit is handled with care, and the goal is to express terroir rather than follow trends.
In a world where so many wines are designed to taste the same, this one dares to be local, artisanal, and distinctive.
If you’re keen to understand what makes Priorat not just powerful, but profound, this is a bottle worth seeking out.
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