El Mas de l’A. Lo Noir 2021

Wine description for El Mas de l’A. Lo Noir 2021 by Portal del Priorat

Colour & Appearance

A rich, luminous cherry red, laced with delicate violet reflections.

Nose

The first impression is shaped by a striking, wild reduction that lends the wine a racy contour and calls for some air in the decanter. Behind this, a cool, Nordic-style fruit of pure sour cherry, sloe and dark elderberry reveals itself, finely underlaid with a delicate almond note. Ethereal nuances of juniper, rosemary and fresh pine needles provide a fascinating freshness.

Palate

On the palate, the wine presents itself as a subtle purist of silky elegance. The fine-grained tannin builds up prominently alongside the restrained fruit. Structure and spice dominate the palate: notes of underwood, fine cigar box and freshly ground pepper elegantly push the primary fruit into the background.

Finish

A long-lasting, taut finish, carried by cool, spicy elements and a fine, smoky piquancy.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes for this wine grow in the Priorat on calcareous soils at a cool altitude of 500 metres above sea level. This limestone subsoil differs significantly from the otherwise slate-dominated vineyard sites of the region and gives the wine its fine structure.

Grape Variety & Vinification

An unusual assemblage of the regionally typical Grenache Noir and Pinot Noir, which is extremely rare in these latitudes. Spontaneous fermentation takes place with wild yeasts both in stainless steel tanks and in large, used French oak barrels (500 and 600 litres). The micro-parcels are vinified separately but blended early, followed by 12 months of ageing in wood.

Food Pairings

Excellent with beetroot with Greek yoghurt and pistachio cream with dill, a juicy grilled Wagyu flank steak with broad beans or a classically braised roast leg of lamb with pumpkin and blackberry.

Special Features

Alfredo Arribas breaks with the cliché of the heavy, high-alcohol Priorat wine here. By combining Grenache with the atypical Pinot Noir and harvesting early, a fascinatingly light, structure-focused style with a moderate 13.5% abv is created, placing finesse and freshness above pure power.