Wine & Spirits - October 2019 - 70

FOCUS:
PRIORAT & MONTSANT
Our blind panels tasted 58 new-release wines from Priorat and Montsant for this issue.
Our critic for Spain, Joshua Greene, rated 12 as exceptional (90+) and 7 as Best Buys.
Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.

P RIO R A T W H IT E
272883

90 | Costers del Priorat

$31

2017 Priorat Blanc de Pissarres ^ A blend of
garnacha blanca (60 percent) with macabeo
and pedro ximénez, this wine sustains freshness in the midst of its creamy alcohol richness. Spontaneously fermented in stainlesssteel, it aged in 1,000-liter casks, developing
tropical notes of pineapple and a pillowy
texture while holding tension. For seafood
paella. § De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC

MON TS A N T RE D
$55

2014 Montsant Pythagora Garnatxa ^ This
garnatxa from has a floral scent of freshly
crushed strawberry that's as beautiful as its
gently maturing texture. That fresh red fruit
has an undertone of wild mushrooms, adding
complexity and meatiness. The wine deepens
with air, gaining rose scents and black depths
to its tannins, suggesting it will continue to
develop. Or decant it for game roasted with
chanterelles. § P.R. Grisley, Salt Lake City, UT
273323

92 | Galilea by Fiona

$25

2015 Montsant Nautilea ^ This blend of garnatxa, cariñena and syrah is tight and dense,
layered in dark tannins yielding coriander
spice and rooty notes. There's oak richness to
those tannins, but the wine is zen-balanced
and lasting, ready to decant for slow-braised
pork shoulder. § P.R. Grisley, Salt Lake City, UT
272518

91 | Llenca Plana

$18

2017 Montsant (Best Buy) ^ From vines
planted in 1993 and an estate winery built
in 2010, this cariñena-rich blend has the buzz
of pollen and the silky feel of beeswax. An
anise-like vegetal note to the tannins makes it
a smoky match for duck braised with Chinese
five spice. § MundoVino/Winebow Imports, NY
273242

91 | Clos de Nit

$12

2015 Montsant Crianza (Best Buy) ^ Thisblend of garnatxa, cariñena and syrah feels
cool and velvety, with notes of blackberry
jam, baked strawberries and meaty, savory
tannins. One panelist, taken by the floral and
70

WINE & SPIRITS

90 | Acústic Cellar

OCTOBER 2019

$60

2016 Montsant Auditori Vinyes Velles ^
Based in a 200-year-old cellar in Marçà,
Albert Jané works with 80-year-old garnatxa
vines for this concentrated, dynamic young
Montsant. Its high-toned strawberry crunch
rides over tarry black tannins, with notes of
thyme and sage in the cool, lasting savor.§
Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
273192

90 | Acústic Cellar

273322

93 | Galilea by Fiona

herbal notes that pointed up the syrah, said,
"I would drink this over a lot of more expensive Rhône-style wines." § Winesellers, Niles, IL
273193

$35

2016 Montsant Braó Vinyes Velles ^ Focused
on cariñena from 60-year-old vines, this is
dense and smoky, with floral notes and raspberry freshness in the midst of more dimpled
deep-blue fruit. Tannins layer it in earthiness;
built for a braise. § Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
273191

89 | Acústic Cellar

$20

2017 Montsant Nobles Vinyes Velles (Best
Buy) ^ A heady, ripe blend of cariñena and garnatxa, this wine starts out tarry and blunt, its
pretty cherry fruit extending into a longer
finish with air. The warm, bitter notes of slate
last, waiting for juicy grilled meats to soothe
those tannins. § Skurnik Wines & Spirits, NY
273241

87 | Clos de Nit

$10

2017 Montsant (Best Buy) ^ This is old-vine
garnatxa and cariñena blended with merlot, tempranillo and cabernet. It's light and
bright, with clean blue fruit and black licorice notes, a super buy, especially for fans of
Côtes du Rhône. Serve it with roast pork and
a green-olive tapenade. § Winesellers, Niles, IL

PRIOR AT RED
272949

93 | Cartoixa Montsalvat

$50

2007 Priorat Montsalvat ^ Fully mature, this
has the shadowy freshness of moonlight,
with layer of nuance to the tart-berry flavors
and tawny mineral tannins. Age has brought
character without the wine giving up its tension or schist abrasion. Mostly cariñena, all

of it from 80- to 100-year-old vines, it's ready
to take on a spicy braised shoulder of lamb. §
Alphapac, Miami, FL
272462

93 | Perinet

$30

92 | Cartoixa Montsalvat

$36

91 | Mas d'en Gil

$80

90 | Mas Sinén

$39

88 | De Sòl a Sol

$20

87 | Feixa Negra

$18

2016 Priorat Merit (Best Buy) ^ Gloveleather soft, this is two-thirds merlot and
syrah, one-third garnatxa and cariñena,
from estate vines planted in 2002. The wine
is long on red fruit and deep mineral spice,
completely saturated without any sense of
heat. The fresh currant flavors carry notes of
turmeric and cumin, earthy, brisk and finely
knit. For roast lamb, currant jelly on the side. §
Phase 2 Cellars, San Luis Obispo, CA
272950
2012 Priorat Montgarnatx ^ This is garnatxa
and cariñena from vines closing in on 100
years old. Though the wine spent time in new
French oak, it's still raw in its mineral savor
and spicy in its floral carignan scents. There's
density to the fruit and elasticity to the tannins, the earthy flavors ready to decant for
braised lamb. § Alphapac, Miami, FL
272597
2014 Priorat Clos Fontà ^ This tastes international at first, a supple blend of garnatxa
and cariñena, with chocolatey tannins that
last on a caramel note. Then air brings it back
to Priorat, showing the depth of fruit from
old vines (circa 1931 through 1970). The ripeness remains, balanced by high-toned spice,
matching its suppleness with finesse. § Regal
Wine Imports, Moorestown, NJ
272448
2015 Priorat Petit Mas Sinén ^ From a 37acre estate in Poboleda, this is a blend of garnatxa, cariñena, cabernet, syrah and merlot.
It has the bright red-cherry and llicorella
mineral scent of a young Priorat, tight, firm
and juicy-ready to drink with any grilled
meats. § Kysela Père et Fils, Winchester, VA
272845
2017 Priorat (Best Buy) ^ Equal parts garnatxa, cariñena, cabernet and merlot, this is
aggressive in its high-toned tomato-skin tannins before mellowing to flavors of spicy red
fruit. It needs time to relax its mineral grip. §
Vintero Wines, Sterling, VA
273374
2016 Priorat (Best Buy) ^ Directly mineral,
this tastes like the dark meat of roast squab.
It's gamey in its blackberry and plum-syrup
notes, with a vegetal undertone in the tannins, like celery root. § Winesellers, Niles, IL n
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Wine & Spirits - October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - October 2019
