Mans de Samsó 2020

Wine Description for Mans de Samsó 2020 by Vinyes d’en Gabriel

Colour & Appearance

Medium garnet red with youthful luminosity – a colour that hints at the concentration of hundred-year-old vines without appearing heavy or impenetrable.

Nose

Clear and concentrated, this Carignan opens with preserved plums, blackberries and black cherries. Behind these unfolds a Mediterranean aromatic palette of pine resin, liquorice, anise, fennel and violets. Particularly charming are the flashing fresh accents of pomegranate juice and orange peel, which lend the wine tension and vitality.

Palate

Seductively ripe and sensual, the Mans de Samsó presents itself on the palate. The texture is silky-fine, almost like grated dark chocolate. What distinguishes this wine is its perfect balance: the ripe yet present acidity combines with vibrant minerality to form a cool vein that elegantly carries the 14.5% alcohol and gives the wine freshness.

Finish

Excellently long and intense. The aromas remain precisely defined and fade with impressive clarity – a finale of great beauty.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from a limestone-rich vineyard site in Montsant, one of Catalonia’s most exciting wine regions. The calcareous terroir lends the wine its characteristic minerality and freshness.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100-year-old Carignan vines (locally known as Samsó or Carineña) provide the grapes for this extraordinary wine. Spontaneous fermentation and maturation in Demi-Muid (600-litre barrel) preserve fruit clarity whilst adding subtle complexity. With only 663 bottles produced, this is a true rarity.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Lacquered duck in hoisin sauce, guinea fowl with black Périgord truffle or roasted squash with spices and soy sauce – the wine harmonises equally well with Asian-inspired cuisine and autumnal vegetable dishes.

Special Characteristics

An aromatic, complex and precisely defined wine that demonstrates the potential old Carignan vines can achieve in the right hands. Vinyes d’en Gabriel has succeeded here in creating a wine of great beauty and authenticity.