2010 Bodegas Mas Alta Els Pics

A Power Packed Priorat red that’s Bursting with flavour.
In some of the more rugged terroirs of Europe, they have an old saying, "Here the vines are Catholic. They love to suffer." Viticulturalists now understand the truth of the adage - in order to maximise flavour, you must reduce yields and maintain an equilibrium of tension in the vines. In Spain, vines go to purgatory in Priorat. Steep staircases of dark slate, shale and thin bands of red clay where machinery is impossible and hand harvests are a health hazard have proven to extricate the most interesting characteristics of indigenous varietals like Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan). Since Rene Barbier from Clos Mogador put Priorat back on the map some 15 years ago, many wine writers and collectors have re-enstated it as Spain's most elite wine region with prices now fetching up to $700+ / bottle. Oblivious to such success, almost no one lives here. Yet the costs of working the terrain physically and financially have not deterred outsiders. Enter a new generation of visionary sadists. 'Bodegas Mas Alta' is the culmination of five Belgian partners' common desire to produce great wine. It has matured under the supervision of Rhone legends, Michel Tardieu and Philippe Cambie (Robert Parker's Consultant Winemaker of the Year 2011). Described as the Bodega's "Simple Pleasure" El Pics is a blend of fruit sourced from Mas Alta's younger plantings. It spent twelve months in old & new Allier French oak. Opaque black purple red colour with deep dark purple red hue. The nose exhibits lifted black raspberry and dark cherry aromas followed by a touch of earth, cedar and spice. Full bodied and very rich the palate is bursting with power packed flavours of black raspberry, liquorice and spice followed by some earthy cedar and an explosive peppery finish. Very fine grained yet solid tannin structure. Superb depth with very long black raspberry, liquorice, earth and peppery spice aftertaste.
Cellar 4-5 years (2013-2017)
Alc 15.0%