Spain · Priorat

Clos Alkio

Gratallops producer working old Garnacha and Cariñena by hand, with an ecological, dry farmed estate and a 2016 Cava Brut Nature.

The producer

Clos Alkio is based in Gratallops, in the heart of Priorat, with lands beside Gratallops and nearby Lloar. Most vines are old and grow in llicorella soils. Its wine plans centre on Garnacha and Cariñena, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Tempranillo also named. Pruning, green pruning and harvesting are done by hand, while the vineyards are dry farmed and managed with natural products. The name also appears on a DO Cava made from equal parts Parellada and Xarel·lo.

Known for

Hand farmed Priorat and aged Cava

Notable facts

The story

First Harvest At Motel

On September 12, 2020, Mikko Alkio made his first harvest at the Motel land in Lloar. The parcel covers 5.7 hectares, with 2.9 hectares planted to Grenache and Carignan. Clos Alkio carries out vineyard operations by hand, including winter pruning, green pruning and harvesting. The estate also grows its vines without irrigation water. The harvest was Alkio's first at Motel, a named Lloar parcel planted to Grenache and Carignan.

From the atlas

Clos Alkio

Gratallops producer built around old Garnacha and Cariñena, hand worked vines, ecological methods, and a Cava Brut Nature from 2016.

At A Glance

FieldDetail
RegionPriorat
VillageGratallops
Main grapesGarnacha and Cariñena
Signature wineClos Alkio Cava Brut Nature
Defining featureHand worked, dry farmed vineyards

The Producer

Clos Alkio is based in Gratallops, in the heart of Priorat. Most of its vines are old, and annual production is above 10,000 bottles. The estate's wine plans emphasise old Garnacha and Cariñena, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Tempranillo.

Clos Alkio also presents a Cava Brut Nature under its name. The Gratallops estate and the sparkling wine belong to different regional categories, with the still wine plans tied to Priorat and the Cava carrying a DO Cava designation.

Place

Clos Alkio's lands lie beside Gratallops and the nearby village of Lloar. The winery is based in Gratallops, while Lloar supplies one of the named vineyard settings in the estate's holdings.

The two village names place the producer inside Priorat's local geography, with Gratallops as the cellar base and Lloar appearing through the Motel parcel planted to Grenache and Carignan.

Soil And Site

Most of the vines grow in Priorat's llicorella soils. Clos Alkio links the old vines and this ground to minerality in the fruit.

The vineyards are dry farmed, with no water used to increase production. The estate works within an ecological winery program and uses natural products in viticulture and winemaking. Its estates receive neither herbicides nor pesticides.

Story

Mikko Alkio founded Clos Alkio as a Finnish wine and Catalonia enthusiast. The estate's first commercial vintage was 2020, and production now exceeds 10,000 bottles a year.

In August 2022, Clos Alkio increased its in house grape processing capacity to 25,000 kilograms. Work on the renovated historic cellar in Gratallops also led to guided visits with a tasting and views of the Priorat mountains.

Vineyards And Cellar

All vineyard operations are performed by hand, including winter pruning, green pruning and harvesting. The same manual approach covers the work carried out on the estate's lands.

Fulles Daurades is a parcel of 0.7 hectares planted to Carignan in winter 1939. The winery's ecological program uses only natural products in both the vineyards and the cellar, while the estate states that its holdings receive neither herbicides nor pesticides.

Wines

The still wine plans centre on old Garnacha and Cariñena, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot and Tempranillo also named among the grape varieties. These wines belong to the Priorat side of Clos Alkio's work.

The sparkling bottle is Clos Alkio Cava Brut Nature. It is a DO Cava from Penedès, while the still wine plans remain associated with the Gratallops estate and Priorat. The Cava is made from Parellada and Xarel·lo.

In The Glass

The Cava opens with yellow plum, citrus, green and yellow apple, mineral, toast and stone. Green apple and lemon continue across the palate.

It is dry and medium bodied, with creamy mousse, acidity just under medium, and a silky texture. Pronounced bitterness marks the finish.

A Bottle To Understand It

Open Clos Alkio Cava Brut Nature 2016 first. It is a DO Cava from Penedès made from equal parts Parellada and Xarel·lo, with 72 months of ageing on its lees.

Lees ageing keeps the wine in contact with spent yeast after fermentation. This can add creaminess and flavours associated with toast, almonds and brioche. The bottle places the Cava appellation, Penedès origin, two grape varieties and extended lees ageing on one label.

Anecdote

On September 12, 2020, Mikko Alkio made his first harvest at the Motel land in Lloar. The parcel covers 5.7 hectares, with 2.9 hectares planted to Grenache and Carignan. Clos Alkio carries out vineyard operations by hand, including winter pruning, green pruning and harvesting. The estate also grows its vines without irrigation water. The harvest was Alkio's first at Motel, a named Lloar parcel planted to Grenache and Carignan.

Final Word

Clos Alkio works from Gratallops with old vines, dry farming and manual vineyard work, while its Cava carries Parellada and Xarel·lo from Penedès. Fulles Daurades adds a Carignan parcel planted in winter 1939.

Sources

Open Clos Alkio in the interactive map →