Maybe these qualify (maybe they don’t) but this past Saturday I had a great time at a Catalonia, Spain wine tasting. Thanks Tony and Denise, job well done! (The first red tasted was actually not from Catalonia but from DO Calatayud, in the province of Zaragoza, Spain).
White;
2010 Bogatell Garnacha Blanc (DO Terra Alta, Catalonia, Spain)
Clear/brilliant straw yellowish in appearance. Citrus fruit on the nose with grapefruit and lemon with hints of flowery notes. Crisp refreshing acidity, good structure, good balance, nicely made. Pleasant and lingering aftertaste. Very food friendly wine. (My score 15/20; group avg 14.
$12.00 USD
Reds;
2010 Filon Garnacha (DO Calatayud, Zaraagoza, Spain. Producer Bodegas Terra Sigilata).
Clear/brilliant in appearance. Ripe red/black fruit on the nose with hints of licorice and some floral and herb notes. Light to medium in body, easy drinking red with smooth and ripe tannins. Nice structure and balance, pleasant and lingering aftertaste. (My score 14.5; group avg 15.3) $8.00 USD
2003 Marti Fabra Masia Carreras (DO Empordà, Catalonia, Spain) Primarily Garnacha and Carignan (50 to 80 year old vines) with a dollop of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah.
Clear/ brilliant in appearance, deep purple all the way to the rim. Nose was a little tight at first wit a slight funky VA notes that blew off with vigorous swirling giving way to (slightly baked sweet) red/black cherry fruit (like biting into mom’s freshly baked cherry pie) with hints of floral and graphite notes. Full to medium in body, well-structured, good balance well made. Pleasant and lingering aftertaste (My score 16/20; group avg 14.6) $40.00 USD
2003 Cellar Laurona Montsant (DO Montsant, Catalonia, Spain) 50% Garnacha; 25% Merlot; 15% Syrah; 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Deep ruby color clear/brilliant. On the nose there was some candied red/black fruit with hints of floral notes/ mocha/vanilla/ oak spices and some earthiness. Good balance and structure nicely made. Pleasant and lingering aftertaste. Overall impression just good. (My score 14/20; group avg 14.7) $20.00 USD
2005 Mas de Can Blau (DO Montsant, Catalonia, Spain) 35% Mazuelo (aka. Carinena and Carignan) 35% Syrah and 30% Garnacha.
Clear/brilliant in appearance. Sweet ripe red/black fruit with hints of floral, spice with some earthy notes. Oak influence was well integrated. Full to medium in body. Nicely structured and balanced. Pleasant and lingering aftertaste. (My score 15/20, group avg 15.4) $50.00 USD
2009 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat (DOC Priorat, Catalonia, Spain) 60% Carinena (Carignan) 30% Garnacha, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon/ Syrah
Clear/brilliant in appearance. Upon the first sniff the nose was fairly tight again with some funky VA notes and the 14.5% ABV was showing. With some vigorous swirling I was able to coax some hints of red/black fruit some licorice but the nose seemed to be dominated by the oak influence (mainly sweet vanilla and wood smoke). Maybe the wine just needs more time to integrate; maybe it is still “too young”. Seemed medium to light in body and texture. The finish was pleasant but slightly warm and sweet. (My score 13/20; group avg 13.
$24.00 USD
2004 Pasanau Priorat Finca La Planeta (DOC Priorat, Catalonia, Spain) 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Old vine Garnacha.
Clear and brilliant in appearance. The nose was vibrant and perfumed and aromatic with red/black fruit with notes of leather, cigar box, tobacco, spices, mineral, and deep dark cocoa. Tannins were still firm but blended and complemented this wine nicely (definitely built for the “long haul”). Full-bodied wine with good acidity well structured and balanced, nicely made. Pleasant and lingering aftertaste. (My score 17/20; group avg 15.9) $40.00 USD WOTN!!!
Salute