Red wines from Cataluña

A number of rare things combine to make this rare wine: the tiny quantities of fruit—hardly a pound or two per plant—that come from the seventy-plus year old Carinyena and Garnatxa vines; the challenging combination of the slate terroir and harsh extremes of climate on Priorat's steep hillsides; and the extraordinary skill and labour of winemaker Albert Jane.

The grapes are harvested by hand, with selection carried out in the vineyards and again in the cellar. The resulting wine is aged for twelve months in the best one year old, lightly toasted Allier oak barrels.

‘Inky ruby. A complex bouquet evokes vibrant dark berry, incense and potpourri, along with smoky minerals and candied licorice. The concentrated, sharply focused palate reveals bitter cherry and cassis flavors that spread out and sweeten in >the glass. Densely packed yet lithe, with superb finishing clarity and harmonious tannins that fold smoothly into the wine’s intense fruit. ’
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

Among the many awards for this special wine are the following:

• 93/100 points Guía Peñín 2019
• 92/100 points Guía Peñín 2018
• 93/100 points Guía de Vinos Gourmets 2018
• 92/100 points Robert Parker Wine Advocate 2018

1.5 l magnum bottle

Full-bodied, supple, dark-fruited red blend from the vertiginous slopes of Montsant, a DO in Cataluña that encircles the better-known and more expensive Priorat.

An inviting and invigorating fragrance of cedar, spice box, and black cherry leads on to a smooth, ripe-berried palate of considerable complexity and power. Silky tannins imbue this Samsó (Carignan) based Penedès blend with a dusty plushness that is very appealing.

Enjoy Acústic with hearty casseroles and grilled meats, or to make an impression at any gathering where good wine is called for.

Acústic produces wines from 40- to 65-year-old Samsó, the local name for Cariñena, and Garnacha. The wine offers the aromas and flavours of Priorat at a far more friendly price. The Wine Buyer's Guide

Catalonia’s Montsant DO was carved out of the Tarragona DO in 2001. This promotion came about as a result of the region's consistent ability to produce high-quality wines, and a need to establish a separate identity for its prime high-altitude vineyards. Montsant, which lies west of Tarragona, almost completely surrounds the more well-known Priorat.

Most of the prized sites within Montsant are located on elevated steep slopes, where the vines enjoy long hours of Mediterranean sunshine during the day and cold temperatures at night, assisting in the development of aromas while maintaining vital acidity in the grapes. The soil here is a local speciality known as llicorella, which is high in granite and slate components.

Montsant has earned a reputation for its high-quality red wines in particular; especially those based on old Garnacha (Grenache) and Samsó (Carignan) vines. Tempranillo (called Ull de Llebre locally) and international varieties also do well here. A small quantity of white (Chardonnay, Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca) is produced, along with rosé and sweet wines.

The name of this wine, Plaer, means ‘pleasure’.

You may not need more persuading than that, but this old vine Priorat is a powerful, complex wine with enticing jammy aromas and an uplifting mineral energy. Red fruit juiciness and darker, velvety depths sustain its dense flavours for simply ages.

The Priorat vines that Albert Jané uses for this wine are all between forty and sixty years old, and grow on a number of the choicest plots in the Priorat DOQ. All the vineyards are based on llicorella soil, and minimal interference in the vines and cellar gives a robust expression of this slate terroir.

The grapes are harvested by hand, with selection carried out in the vineyards and again in the cellar. The resulting wine is aged for twelve months in one year old French oak barrels.

‘Bright violet color. A zesty mineral quality gives loft and focus to sexy aromas of candied flowers and red and dark berry preserves. The juicy, incisive and gently sweet palate offers black raspberry, floral pastille and a late touch of candied licorice. Fine-grained tannins rein in the exuberant fruit on the long and energetic finish. A powerful but finessed wine.’
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous

There has been the by now nearly customary heap of awards for the 2016 vintage of Plaer:

• 93/100, Guía Peñín 2019
• 94/100, Guia Intervinos 2019
• 94.62/100, Guía Wine Up! 2019
• 9.33/10 La Guia de Vins de Catalunya 2019
• 95/100, Guía de Vinos Gourmets 2019
• 90/100, Guía Vivir el Vino 2019

The local Ull de Llebre, known elsewhere as Tempranillo, meets a splash of the indigenous, scarce and rustic Sumoll in this Cabernet Franc blend from the small Pla de Bages DO in Catalonia.

The regional climate is dry and hot in the summertime, but cooler than average nights mean that the grapes ripen steadily to give rich fruit flavours and fine, shapely tannic structure. In this dark, juicy red wine you'll find both youthful red fruit character and the earthy concentration of the Cabernet Franc component. Four months in French and American oak give a hint of caramel to a herb-scented, boldly flavoured red that is most definitely a charmer.

Robust, full-bodied Catalonian red, bursting with cassis, coffee, cedar and liquorice notes. There's the richness of fruitcake too—this is a relatively extravagant style. Silky-smooth tannins and a long, complex finish.

Oak aged for one year in a combination of French and American wood, with five further months ageing in stainless steel and then a year's cellaring in bottle before release.

This organic red would make a great choice if you're planning to cook fillet steak, rack of lamb or even good homemade burgers. If you don't care for meat, you may be interested to know that it's vegan certified too and a sturdy match for the rich, smoky flavours of aubergine or good mushrooms.

Mas Codina sits in the Alt Penedès, Catalonia, and is protected by two benevolent mountain ranges. All the fruit it uses is estate-grown.

A three-litre jeroboam of a full-bodied, supple, dark-fruited red blend from the vertiginous slopes of Montsant, a DO in Cataluña that encircles the better-known and more expensive Priorat.

An inviting and invigorating fragrance of cedar, spice box, and black cherry leads on to a smooth, ripe-berried palate of considerable complexity and power. Silky tannins imbue this Samsó (Carignan) based Penedès blend with a dusty plushness that is very appealing.

Enjoy Acùstic with hearty casseroles and grilled meats, or to make an impression at any gathering where good wine is called for.

Acustic produces wines from 40- to 65-year-old Samsó, the local name for Cariñena, and Garnacha. The wine offers the aromas and flavours of Priorat at a far more friendly price. The Wine Buyer's Guide