Cult Priorat estate Terroir Al Limit Selects Nimbility to build their Asia markets
In a decisive move to expand their presence in Asia, iconic Priorat estate Terroir Al Límit has chosen market and brand building specialist Nimbility to take them to new heights across the region.
“I am extremely pleased to announce our new partnership with Nimbility across Asia and I trust that this will have a great and very positive effect on our brand in the entire region,” says Dominik Huber Terroir Al Límit Owner and Winemaker. “We have chosen to leave our highly valued brand (well basically ourselves!) in the hands of the team of Nimbility as we love their passion for our wines and understanding of our history and values. This has been a main factor in our decision to work with them and we look forward to this ride together!”
Finding the right partners to import and distribute these venerable and highly sought after wines will be at the forefront of the Asia strategy. “Terroir Al Límit is a project driven by passion,” says Nimbility Founding Partner Francesca Martin, “which is why it is imperative we find like-minded partners who not only understand this fundamental element of the brand but also share it. We are incredibly excited to have the opportunity to work with Dominik and his team and to help build Terroir Al Límit the esteemed reputation that it has secured in other parts of the world but has yet to achieve in Asia.”
Terroir Al Límit came into being in 2001 when German food fanatic and entrepreneur Dominik Huber and highly-regarded South African winemaker Eben Sadie met harvesting at Mas Martinet. With the help of the Pérez family, they found a plot of old vine Carignan and Garnacha and leased a little corner in the cellar of Cims de Porrera where they vinified their first vintage of Dits del Terra.
As the project grew they took on more vineyard sites, searching always for the extreme ‘limits’ of what Priorat had to offer, be that vineyards at the highest altitude or those affected by extremes of temperature, amongst other factors. After two years at Cims de Porrera they moved into a tiny cellar in Torroja del Priorat where the wines are still made today. As time went on, Eben found he had ever increasing demands back in South Africa, so Dominik took over working full time at Terroir Al Límit in 2007, dedicating more of his time to farming, implementing biodynamics and other methods to reduce stress on vines in this stark and rugged terrain.
The approach and hard work paid off with better quality fruit the result. With better quality grapes coming into the cellar Dominik and Eben came to a realisation: super-ripe grapes, with lashings of new oak and extractive winemaking, as per the modern Priorat-style of the 80s and 90s, a style still very common to see today, was masking the unique and subtle vineyard expressions they were aiming for. They began instead to think about a process of infusion rather than extraction, about creating elegance rather than power, moving from de-stemming to whole-cluster fermentations, abandoning extraction techniques such as pigeage and remontage, and replacing small oak barrels with large foudres and cement tanks.
As well as using Burgundian techniques the Burgundy model of classification with Grand Crus (Les Manyes and Les Tosses), Premier Crus (Arbossar, Pedra de Guix and Dits del Terra), Village wines (Torroja and Terra de Cuques) and Regional wines (Terroir Històric red and white), where grapes are sourced from trusted growers throughout Priorat’s nine historic villages, was aptly borrowed. These remarkable terroir-driven wines truly are Priorat’s answer to Burgundy.
The absolute drinkability of Terroir Al Límit wines is at the forefront of Dominik’s efforts along with their ability to pair brilliantly with Mediterranean cuisine. Gastronomy, being a serious topic in Asia, will have a large part to play in the overall brand strategy for the region, working closely with top local chefs and sommeliers to build a robust on-trade business where the visibility of Terroir Al Límit can be expanded.
The extremely limited quantity of Les Manyes, recently awarded 100 points by the Wine Advocate for the 2016 vintage, and Les Tosses with 98 points for the same vintage, naturally positions these icon wines amongst collectors and wine lovers looking for something exceptional. Bespoke, tailor-made tasting events, that connect to the vital touchpoints of the brand and its DNA will be developed to give private clients an experience of Terroir Al Límit they will never forget.
Nimbility will also be working with Terroir Sense Fronteres, a range of wines made in neighbouring Montsant where the rules are regulations are far more flexible than in Priorat. This has allowed Dominik to make wines in exactly the style he wants with no limits and no borders as the name suggests.
“Terroir Sense Fronteres represents another huge opportunity for Asian consumers to experience wines from a region of Spain which we believe has huge potential,” says Francesca Martin. “The fact that Dominik has chosen to make wines here is proof enough. We are honoured to be working the entire range of wines that such an inspirational and talented winemaker has to offer.”
Eben left Terroir al Límit in 2011, to devout his energies to his extraordinary work in South Africa, but Dominik remains as the heart and soul of Terroir Al Límit. Each successive vintage is testament to their original vision for the project as well as Dominik’s continued quest to make the most elegant and expressive wines in Priorat and beyond!
For more information about Terroir Al Límit, Terroir Històric and Terroir Sense Fronteres in Asia, please contact chess@nimbilityasia.com
