2010 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes

The 2010 Les Terrasses Velles Vinyes is a blend of 40% Garnacha, 45% Samso, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah (60- to 90-year-old vines) cropped at just 10 hectoliters per hectare, raised in 20% new oak plus one-, two- and three-year-old barrels. It has a well-defined, opulent bouquet of creme de cassis, blueberry and violets that blossom from the glass. The palate is full-bodied with a dense core of ripe blackberry, spicebox, white pepper and a touch of fennel. It sports great density and thrust, and while it cares little for subtlety, it offers great purity on the finish. Drink 2016-2025. Visiting Alvaro Palacios was a must during my trip to Priorat, the dynamo and tour de force that has propelled Priorat to the forefront of the Spanish wine scene. The modern architecture of his hilltop winery lies in stark contrast to the nearby village Gratallops, where houses huddle as if sheltering from a raincloud that will never come. Indeed, as we parked the car, the village’s P.A. system was announcing that there would be no running water for the next two hours, indicating how precious a commodity water is. People suffer as well as vines. Since his debut in 1989, Alvaro’s wines have built a formidable reputation with prices to match. Fortunately, he pays as much attention to quality at the lower end of his range: a bottle bearing his name must meet his exacting standards. I listened as Alavaro expounded the greatness of Garnacha, convinced that the identity of Priorat lies in this grape variety and Carinena, rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. A man of his word, he is therefore reducing the percentage of Cabernet in his flagship L’Ermita and it would not surprise me if it is phased out entirely in the future. Personally, I think an already great wine is greater for it. He also rhapsodized about his nascent 2010s, which he feels are not as “heavy” as his 2009s and constitute “very enchanting wines,” something I completely agree with. Most of these wines were tasted in Priorat, augmented by one or two tastings held in London. Importer: Mannie Berk, The Rare Wine Company, Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484; and www.bbr.com in the UK.