If you were able to achieve the difficult title of "Master of Wine" at an early age, namely as early as 1996, if you subsequently become one of the most successful wine merchants in Switzerland and spend a large part of your time in the world's top wine-growing regions, then you are likely to be overcome by the desire to try your hand at making wine yourself. This could be, in a few but definitive words, the life story of the Swiss Philipp Schwander. And although he is at home in almost all of the world's leading wine regions, it was the small but exclusive Priorat region of all places that exerted a magical pull on him. He has only been producing wine here for a few years in small, strictly limited editions, but these are already among the most highly rated in the region. The winegrower Raimon Castellvi drew his attention to a small vineyard near the village of Porrera, which he acquired without further ado. Planted in 1904 with mostly Garnacha and some Carignano, the gnarled vines, which are deeply rooted in the Priorat's characteristic terroir of slate and quartzite, are now over 100 years old. At the same time, it is one of the highest parcels in Priorat. Profitability is not exactly the driving force behind Philipp Schwander's work, but rather the pursuit of the highest quality and perfection. To this end, he cultivates his small vineyard with great care according to ecological criteria. He is assisted by the oenology professor Fernando Zamora from the University of Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, who is considered a genius, and the oenologist Marta Conde. The wine is called "Sobre Todo", an allusion to the altitude of the vines, as it means "above everything". The few grapes are subjected to another rigorous selection process at the winery, even a second time for the "Sobre Todo Master Selection". The fact that the wines in Priorat can be full-bodied does not bother Philipp Schwander; he does not subscribe to the emerging fashion of trimming the wines of this demanding region for lightness and an almost Burgundian-like character. His wines are already achieving top marks, impressive after such a short time. For many, however, enjoying these wines will remain a pipe dream, as the quantities produced are tiny.
