Priorat Scala Dei Cartoixa 2017
Scala Dei
A very deep, dense, violet-tinted morello cherry red. Intense aromas of violet-inflected ripe black plum fruit intermingles with distinct mineral character from the licorella slate terroir which give it distinct Priorat typicity. Ageing in barrels gives it spicy vanilla, pepper and toasted notes. On the palate it is robust, buttery and supple, with intense, mature tannins, full, rounded body and a long lingering finish.
The Cartoixa is one of their top wines and is made from some of the finest hand-picked grapes from their estate. It is a blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Cariñena (Carignan).
Priorat is an increasingly famous wine producing region in Catalunya. Scala Dei is a famous and well-established producer there.
Delivery
Items are expected to be delivered within 4 weeks
Producer
Region
Variety
Alcohol-abv
14.5%
Reviews
James Suckling 92 Points, Robert Parker 94 points
Bottle Format:
75cl
Variant
Status
Price
Ratings
92 Points James Suckling
Pretty ripe fruit with dark berries and hints of bark and cedar, following through to a medium to full body, integrated tannins and delicious fruit at the end. Drink now.
94 points Robert Parker
Are you aware of this product? Enter your rating to help users of our site in their choice!
Priorat
The Priorat wine region is located in the Catalonia region of Spain, just inland from the Mediterranean port city of Tarragona and about a two-hour drive southwest of Barcelona. The Montsant mountain chain dominates the region, with vineyards situated between 330 feet above sea level in the valleys of Bellmunt del Priorat and el Molar up to 2,500 feet above sea level on the slopes of La Morera de Montsant and Porrera.
Many vineyards are located on costers (Catalan for "steep slope") with a typical gradient of 15 percent (and up to 60 percent), so terracing is common, and vineyards are often too steep and narrow for machine-harvesting. The slate soil on the slopes is known as llicorella ("licorice," due to its dark color) and is the main feature of the soil's terroir and the success of its native grapes.
The classic Priorat wine is made from old-vine Garnacha and Cariñena, and has concentrated aromas of licorice, tar and brandied cherries.
In the year 2000, Priorat became the second region in Spain to receive the designation DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada), the highest denomination in the country. The first to receive this honor was Rioja, in 1991.
Spain
Grape vines have been grown on the Iberian Peninsula since at least 3000 B.C., although it was not until 1000 B.C. that winemaking began here in earnest – a skill brought by Phoenician traders from the eastern Mediterranean. Today, Spain is home to more vines than any other country on Earth, and has a national wine output exceeded only by France and Italy.
All seventeen of Spain's administrative regions (communidades autónomas) produce wine to some extent, including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands. The greatest concentration of vineyards is in Castilla-La Mancha, but the finest and most famous wines come from Galicia (Rias Baixas), Catalonia (Cava and Priorat), Andalucia (Sherry), Castilla y Leon (Rueda, Toro and Ribera del Duero) and of course Rioja.
Geography and climate together play a fundamental role in defining Spain's many wine styles. From cool, green Galicia and the snow-capped Pyrenees in the north, via the parched central plateau, to sandy, sunny Andalucia in the south, the Spanish landscape is very diverse. The country spans seven degrees of latitude (36°N to 43°N), leaving 500 miles (800km) between its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.
The key red-wine varieties, in order of acreage, are Tempranillo, Bobal, Garnacha and Monastrell. The leading white-wine varieties are Airen, Viura/Macabeo and Palomino and Albarino. 'International' varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are becoming more and more popular in Spain, and their plantings are rising in various Spanish regions. Along with the most popular varieties, there are regional specialties, such as Hondarrabi Zuri in the Basque Country, Marmajuelo in the Canary Islands and Zalema in Andalucia.
