The Rocky Slate Landscape in Priorat

Too much terroir talk is of rainfall, heat-degree days, angles of slope, fogs and breezes. Oughta be more on terra that underlies it all, dirt and rocks. Don’t say soil; unlike most farmers grape growers never brag about fertile ground. They love to pick up big rocks and boast of granite or clay. The harder the vines work, the richer the grape. No grapes work harder than those in Priorat, small rocky terrain between Barcelona and the coast, so dusty and rugged Clint Eastwood could have made Catalan Westerns in the boulders. It’s hard to navigate a car or tractor but rugged grape vines have fought through stacks and stacks of solid slate and schist for centuries to find water. When they do, the Grenache and especially the Carinena (Carignane, but don’t tell the snobs) make rich juice with a distinctly slaty character. Great stuff as B-21 explorers found this February once they got past Rioja and Ribera. Tiny Priorat is the next big thing and already one of the most dear because of the difficult growing and farming and low yields . The texture and taste isn’t quite blackboard, more like the licorice of childhood, black and long lasting, both smooth and chewy. Exhibit No. 1 was the 2006 Mas Doix Doix ($109.99), a grand mountain ram of a wine, bold, elegant and gamy, red and black berries pressed almost to membrillo paste, earthy and candied. Half carinena, it makes Sr. Parker swoon with memory of grand cru Burgundy and a number like… 97.  The more affordable Salanques (the 2006 is only $29.99) was more Rhonish and longer on Grenache but you still taste the rocks and the sap of the old vines, lots of berries, full and happy in the mouth with a sleek finish. Priorat’s brimming with small exquisitely rugged vineyards today, and B-21 has two dozen not including the grand Mas Alta range (formerly known as Mas Romani). 

2007 Black Slate Priorat - Reg 19.99 (On Sale Now - $17.99) for a limited time!

Yet you can start your climb more easily with the 2007 Black Slate, a new “village Priorat” from Porrera at $17.99. This is still rich drinking, old vines with blue-black berries, dense and almost sweet.  At all levels, Priorat is not tinto for tapas; slaughter the fatted calf, bring in the young lamb and the oldest ham. Priorat is also at the heart and start of our trusted European Cellars of Eric Solomon. The ancient rocks and vines there were revitalized by a Gang of Five smart Spanish winemakers 20 years ago. One of them Daphne Glorian, introduced Eric Solomon to Priorat with her Clos Erasmus and eventually married him.

- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler

Once limited local oddities, reds of Germany and Austria, especially pinot noir, have boomed in production and promotion. While pinot has always been something of a cool climate red, warming climates has allowed it to move farther north and ripen better; plus viticulturalists have bred, rescued and purified other grape strain.  More than a third of German vineyards now bear red .

 Media reception is warmer too judging from Eric Asimov’s report of a wine dinner with 19 Spatburgunders  at the Austrian restaurant Seasonal in Manhattan in the NYT.

 For those who have learned the infinite parsing of Riesling in Germanic hands, red wines are a different matter. Many areas, old and new ,and a bigger range of grapes. One clue, when seeking g red in German wine terms, think  blau (blue or black grapes) and rot (red but a poor word choice).

 So here’s a clue to the German names of varietals you’ll find on bottles from Mitteleuropa (and from other chilly climates around the world seeking grapes with flavor and hardiness):

2008 P. J. Valckenberg Dornfelder - 9.99 (8.99 by the case!)

Blauer Portugieser: No one knows if it has roots in Oporto, but it makes good  roses and reds from dull to claret. Get a good taste of it from the 2007 Kallstadt ($9.99).  

Blaufrankisch, aka Lemberger:  Rich, spicy reds grown widely in eastern Europe and occasionally in the U.S. Northwest.  From the red hot red wine center of Wurttemberg in the Mosel, B-21 sought out the 2007 Grafen Neipperg which shows how it’s done well ($15.99).  

Dornfelder: Verystrong, fruity and good texture and a good grower, but still second to spatburgunder.  Look to Rheinhessen producers like Valckenberg’s 2008 ($9.99).  

Sankt Laurent:  Probably related to pinot noir, good aroma and easier to grow.  

Spatburgunder:  German for pinot noir and the most heavily planted. B-21 has two from Baden under $15 and a rare treat found by B-21, the rave-winning 2005 Huber Malterninger ($59.99) one of Germany’s best .  

Zweigelt:  A cross of Blaufrankisch and Sankt Laurent, most popular in Austria and also grown in Canada.

- Chris Sherman, The Blogging Nibbler

2007 Bodegas Atalaya (Almansa) - 12.99

“Juan Gil is one of my favorite wineries, so when I heard they were in cahoots with the King of Spanish Wine, Mr. Jorge Ordonez, I knew only good things could come of it. This project in its very inception is already turning heads (91WA, 90ST) with the 2007 (their first vintage). Made mainly of Monastrell and Garnacha, Atalaya is a big red wine full of depth and complexity yet smooth and readily approachable. On the nose I get black fruits, spice and a little smoke. On the palate it is full-bodied and rich. It should pair perfectly with red meats be it a grilled filet or a juicy burger. This is a wine to watch!”

90 Points, Summer Martin
Staff Selection, March 2010

2005 Bodegas Poesia Clos des Andes Reserva - 19.99

“2005 Clos des Andes is the latest addition to the prestigious Bodega Poesia collection. This 100% Malbec is sourced from 80 year old vines from the Lujan de Cuyo region of Mendoza and aged to perfection in French oak for one year. Vibrant red in color, musky aromas of baked plum, cedar, violets and black cherry. Extremely elegant in depth and balance lengthened with subtle sweet flavors of berries and herbs. For the perfect Clos des Andes experience decant and serve at 64 degrees. A great representation of Malbec at an affordable price!”

91 Points, Shannon Sprentall
Staff Selection, March 2010

2005 Chateau Haut-Mazeris (Canon-Fronsac) - 29.99

“Merlot 65%, Cabernet Franc 15% and Cabernet Sauvignon 20%. From vineyards located in the highest point of Fronsac, Haut-Mazeris shows a lot of muscle and is a wine that will develop for many years to come. Dark chocolate and meaty essences are here within an etched and structured frame. A rigorous and polished wine and an excellent example of a classically styled wine.”

91 Points, Rhett Beiletti
Staff Selection, March 2010

2006 Aia Vecchia Lagone (15.99)

“Aia Vecchia’s 2006 Lagone is a great value in Bordeaux-styled Tuscan red. The grapes are sourced from the same vineyards as Aia Vecchia’s $40 flaghip red Sorugo (92WS) but sells for half the price. The very skilled winemaking team really hit their stride with the 2006 which received nice reviews from the Wine Advocate’s Antonio Galloni and the Wine Spectator who described it as “Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a long, rich finish…” I would add that there is nice acidity keeping the wine fresh and allowing it to drink well for several more years and this really does feel like a much more expensive wine.”

91 Points, Steve Rayman
Staff Selection, March 2010

2007 Chateau Rigaud Faugeres ($11.99 for a limited time)

In the event you are a terroirist (one who is truly interested in where wines come from: how the soil and setting are expressed) this wine has much to offer. Great Priorat wines from Spain too come from slate soils (schist) and exhibit the same style of expression found here but through a different grape. In Priorat it is the old vine grenache expressing slate, here it is syrah expressing slate: that lick of wet stone YOU can taste. Geologically slate is usually found at elevations. The higher elevations add a brightness, vivacity and expressiveness too found here. This is true of higher elevation tempranillo in Spain for instance. The wines are more racy. The hints of smoke and peat and iodine should make it a single malt lovers wine balanced by Grenache flavors and textures. Now if you are not a terroirist (give it time) you will relate very well to this review: “The epitome of 2007s ability to combine lift and vivacity with ripe richness and sheer density, it represents a mind-boggling value that will in addition probably evolve interestingly in bottle for several years.” – 91-92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.  What an amazing value!!!!

91 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, March 2010

2007 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley (Reg: 19.99 On sale for limited time: $15.99)

Founded in 1875, St. Helena’s Beringer Vineyards is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley and a member of the National Register for Historic Places. “As you drive over the mountain from St. Helena,” winemaker Laurie Hook begins, “the valley opens up before your eyes and you immediately feel transported to another time, where things are slower and more rustic.” In an effort to preserve the nuances of particular areas of Knights Valley, Hook vinifies and ages each group of berries individually. She then extends the maceration period, providing a lushness on the palate supported by enhanced tannins. This lengthened maceration also accounts for the wine’s insanely deep purple hue and chunky nose of dark fruit and candied apples. Hook ages her wines in French Nevers oak for 13 months before blending with a touch of Merlot and Cab Franc to lift the mid-palate and refine the finish. Her efforts pay off in a flawless Cabernet bursting with dark berries and leather as a touch of smoke gently wafts over the top. The quality of this wine and the fact that we are nearly $6 below the national average makes this incredible California value a no brainer.

90 Points, Shawn Reynolds
Staff Selection, March 2010

Jacob's Creek Riesling Reserve ($9.99)

Cool, cool, cool Riesling so bracing you’d think it was from the Mosel not the Barossa. Jacob’s Creek, the giant of Oz, handled these South Australian grapes with great care, night-harvests and cold fermentation so the wine bursts with juice, the tang of a lemon-lime gelato with a sprinkle of almonds. The structure and acidity is as refreshing, like a shower in a mountain waterfall. Critics who overlook mass market wineries couldn’t ignore this limey blast. It’s 73 on the WS Top 100 list, one of the best bargains – and all the harder to find. We’ve got plenty for every pad Thai, oyster fry and shrimp salad you can eat this year. Get a case for the boat or beach – and set a bottle aside one for 3-4 years to watch it mellow and sweeten up.

91 Points, Chris Sherman
Staff Selection, March 2010

This time it went to Andrew Wigan, a key player for 30 years at Peter Lehmann in the Barossa.  Wigan knows prizes from both sides.  He’s one of the most respected wine judges (yes, Aussies respect wine judges), and he’s also brought home the Jimmy Watson Trophy, the highest honor on occasion.

2007 Lehmann Shiraz Barossa - $14.99

Best news:  his fine work in the vineyard and the cellar is affordable.  The 2006  Lehmann Shiraz is only $14.99 but was 54 on Spectator’s Top 100 for 2009:  “Ripe and round, this is generous with its smoky cherry and black currant flavors, persisting against mildly grippy tannins to create a long, layered finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. ” 91 points

Wigan follows in impressive footsteps. Last year’s winner was Louisa Rosa of yummy Yalumba, a treasury of Australia’s best traditions and innovations.

Btw, if you care about Australian wine (and food) or wine period, check out Gourmet Traveller WINE.  While it gives Australia and New Zealand the handsome coverage it deserves, it covers the world with true Australian character, adventurous, sophisticated and fresh enough to declare great wines ”ripper reds.”  Not shabby on the awards front either.  It won the golden ladle for World’s Best Drinks Magazine in the World Food Media Awards.

- Chris Sherman