Sunday is the new Friday.
There is no school tomorrow so we open a rare Sunday evening wine. After a run of Italian wines recently Shell feels like a change of pace. A Spanish wine from Catalan which she picked up last year at a sale should hit the mark.
I know very little about Spanish wine. Rioja is Tempranillo, which is about it. Wine offers many things, one of them is an opportunity to learn. I hit the books and the internet to see what makes Catalan unique, what makes this wine different from Rioja.
Catalan is situated in North-Eastern Spain. The Priorat region is particularly unique in its landscape. It is geologically isolated, surrounded by a ring of mountains. Within these mountains lies a landscape of narrow valleys and hills which rise between 250 and 600m above sea level. The vineyards are planted on the steep terrace which means the vines must be handpicked. The soils are characterised by slate remains, called licorella, which produce only small yields as the vines need to penetrate great depths to find water.
It is a region of Garnacha and Cariñera.
40% Garnacha
40% Cariñera
20% Syrah
Not decanted.
Medium ruby in the glass. Blackcurrants dominate the nose. There is cold charcoal, almost graphite in the background, BBQ meats and cedarwood round out a nose that has a mineral quality that I cannot put into words. It is expressive and complex, but not overwhelming. The palate offers medium acid and medium tannins. It is by no means a big wine but offers a mouth-filling soft texture. Blackcurrants offer sweetness and a slightly sour note, there are more BBQ meats and some new leather round out the palate. The wine is approachable, enjoyable and very moorish. It is not a remarkable wine by any means, but it is a very fitting Sunday afternoon experience.
Drink now – 2025
89 pts.
