Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2016

Sometimes I simply ponder about the range of red wines that can be found in the marketplace. Often predictable like a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a Classified Bordeaux from the Medoc, or a Nebbiolo from Piedmont, one can pretty much expect focused flavors from those regions' primary grape variety. Then there are blends—GSMs, "kitchen sink reds," and cuvees that combine Rhone and Bordeaux varieties, as well as so many other possible variations. In the case of Priorat, one does not know exactly which grapes are in play here. The excellent 2016 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat—a combination of Grenache, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah—is another mixed bag. This wine exhibits a delicious mix of nuances (black fruits, sweet spices, savory notes) that simply make it a delicious red wine. Live in the moment and enjoy a full flavored red wine that is beautifully balanced. (Tasted: June 7, 2017, San Francisco, CA)

For this entry-point to the red wines of Priorat, Alvaro Palacios relies on garnacha and cariñena (70 percent of the blend), adding cabernet and syrah as well. The result is a delicious and fresh juice, so lively and crisp that it makes you want to ice down the bottle and pour it with charcuterie.

The entry-level red blend 2016 Camins del Priorat is the first wine to be bottled—only a few months after the harvest—and is sold early, as market demand causes it to sell out pretty quickly. It's a blend of 35% Garnacha, 25% Cariñena, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 10% Merlot aged for a few months in oak barriques and casks. It's a very pleasant and accessible wine from the portfolio, but it's less Priorat than any of the other wines, with some international character, very nicely crafted. We are talking about one of the biggest production wines from the whole of Priorat! 260,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in July 2017.

A polished texture carries black olive, tea and loamy earth flavors in this focused red, with black cherry and red plum flavors emerging on the finish. Graceful, with fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Drink now through 2024.