La Cartuja 2018 Priorat DOCa

Item Number: 15163

UPC: 0-810411013816

Country: Spain
Region: Catalunya
Sub Region: Priorat
Appellation/AVA: Priorat DOCa
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2018
Grape(s): 70% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo (Cariñena)
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 14.5
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Black slate and quartz soil or "Licorella"
Elevation: 820 ft

Terroir Notes: La Cartuja is produced in the Priorat region, one of the most prestigious appellations in Spain. The soils of the vineyard are composed of volcanic slate and sand, which impart the signature of Priorat's terroir and distinctive mineral and graphite flavors. Priorat's soils are poor in nutrients and have a low pH, which results in brighter, fresher wines. Priorat wines show the characteristics of a cool climate, which lends acidity, and a warm climate, which brings ripe tannins.

Winemaking Notes: La Cartuja underwent two days of maceration, followed by eight days of fermentation and ten days of extended maceration after fermentation. After, the wine was aged for 6 months, half in 225-liter and half in 300-liter French oak barrels.

Tasting Notes: Brilliant ruby. Ripe dark berries, licorice, smoky minerals and a hint of succulent flowers on the perfumed nose. Juicy, round and open-knit; a peppery note adds lift and cut to warm blackberry, bitter cherry and licorice pastille flavors. The long, mineral-accented finish shows very good focus and closes on a youthfully tannic note, leaving cherry pit and floral notes behind. -- Josh Raynolds.