Winemaker Notes
Dusty albariza chalk lies beneath aromas of Italian plum and dried black cherry, accented by dried green herbs like rosemary and sage. The nose shows hints of sea breeze and a distinct, almost bloody minerality like that found in bluefin tuna. After opening up, wild fruits (frutas del bosque) emerge. The nose is intense and powerful, yet the palate is light, lifted, and incredibly pretty. The acidity is mouthwatering and the wine is truly persistent and lingering. The tannins are completely integrated without being overly soft. The wine shows restrained red and black fruit flavors, candied violet, and rooibos, with hints of oregano and Darjeeling tea on the finish.
This wine is incredibly versatile, and pairs with hard cheeses like pecorino, pork tenderloin with rosemary, beef or tuna tartare.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The dark earth funk makes this a characterful wine with some peppercorns to the dark cherries. Juicy and flavorful with firm, creamy tannins on the medium- to full-bodied palate, with plenty of sappy fruit in the mossy and pristine finish. Quite fresh yet supple and naturally delivered. Wild, but exotic and attractive.
Spanish red wine is known for being bold, heady, rustic and age-worthy, Spain is truly a one-of-a-kind wine-producing nation. A great majority of the country is hot, arid and drought-ridden, and since irrigation has only been recently introduced and (controversially) accepted, viticulture has sustained—and flourished—only through a great understanding of Spain’s particular conditions. Large spacing between vines allows each enough resources to survive and as a result, the country has the most acreage under vine compared to any other country, but is usually third in production.
Of the Spanish red wines, the most planted and respected grape variety is Tempranillo, the star of Spain’s Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. Priorat specializes in bold red blends, Jumilla has gained global recognition for its single varietal Monastrell and Utiel-Requena has garnered recent attention for its reds made of Bobal.