Casa Gran del Siurana takes its name from an 18th-century farmhouse beside the Siurana river that once belonged to the Carthusian monks of Scala Dei, the same order that introduced viticulture to the region almost a thousand years ago. The Suqué i Mateu family, also owners of Cavas i Vins del Castell de Perelada in the Empordà, bought two estates totalling 50 hectares here in 2000 to make quality DOQ Priorat wines. Since early 2007, winemaking has taken place in the former Cooperativa Agrícola de Bellmunt del Priorat building, renovated for the purpose.
The winery draws on two distinct estates: Casa Gran, 12.4 hectares (6.6 under vine) with limestone and clay soils along the Siurana river, and la Fredat, 38 hectares (9.38 under vine) planted on slate slopes. Grape varieties combine native Grenache and Samsó (Carignan) with international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot. Wines produced include Cruor, Gran Cruor, Gran Cruor Selecció Carinyena and La Fredat, alongside more recent labels such as Cruor Clàssic and GR-174.
The wines follow the traditional Priorat style: dark, powerful reds with pronounced mineral notes, good freshness and notable acidity. Direct sales are available at the winery itself, though there is no indication of a regular guided-visit or wine-tourism programme.
Imatge: Lluís Marià Vidal i Carreras · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Sources: doqpriorat.org · turismepriorat.org · enterwine.com