“La Rodeda” Velles Vinyes 2017

This is the first vintage of a wine that comes from a vineyard of just 0.4 hectares, whose fruit was still processed as Mas d'en Caçador until the year before. La Rodeda is listed in the appellation maps as a vineyard of its own, which Carles Ortiz and Ester Nin were not aware of before. They always added it to the Mas d'en Caçador. The special thing is that this vineyard is almost 100 % with about 80 years old Garnacha Peluda, in French. Lladon pelutA red Grenache variety of its own. In addition, this vineyard has a northern exposure and is also one of the highest in the Priorat. In addition to black Llicorella slate, red quartzite is found here. The grapes were fermented whole and aged 100 % in new French barriques. There are only 325 bottles available. Carles Ortiz "We will remember this vintage as one of the most extreme of the decade, along with the 2012 vintage. It is in years like these that the work we do in the field is rewarded. Despite the exceptional climatic conditions, we have acidity and pH levels that seem miraculous. Our vines did not suffer from the heavy frosts of this 2017."

dark purple

Just inhaling the aroma, you can exclaim "What a wine!" Next to the La Coma d'en Romeu and the Mas d'en Caçador a third great wine has been added, which presents itself clearly differently, even though it comes from a parcel of Mas d'en Caçador. This wine is already unbelievably fresh, juicy and elegant with high spiciness and complex fruit in the bouquet. At the same time, everything seems wonderfully tidy, sorted and relaxed: the dark forest berry fruit, the ripe cherry, the liquorice, the tobacco, the dried herbs, the dried violet flowers, the slightly meaty character of the wine, the wood, which is hardly noticeable, although it was new wood in which the wine was matured.

On the palate, the freshness is noticeable again. Everything is ripe and juicy, as one knows it from the Priorat. Thus, the fruit and the clear spice is permeated by lively acidity, as if behind this wall of dark berries and Indian spices vibrates an engine that constantly sends impulses of energy into the wine. The La Rodeda Vi de Partage is a fascinatingly elegant wine, rich in finesse and harmonious down to the last detail, whose relaxed expression always remains clear on the palate despite all its liveliness and energy. What a freshness, what a hauntingly silky and noble tannin. What luck that there is such a wine.