This was a purchase after our 2008 visit to this winemaker and cellar in Cornudella in the Montsant region west of Tarragona, Spain. Montsant envelops, basically, the smaller wine appellation of Priorat. So if you can find a well-priced Montsant, like this one, it should remind you of a junior to equal weight Priorat. On with impressions: There is a definite hot slate stone meets strawberries aroma on this young Montsant, which is mostly Grenache (63) with the remainder being Carignan (or Samso, 32%) and small amounts of Syrah and Merlot for roundness and color. On the palate, it's remarkably light on its feet and your tongue - more red fruits than dark, yet with a tannic nudge that reminds you this is serious wine. This is the modest entry-level wine for this producer, run by two friends in Cornudella, and its given zero oak time. It's all stainless steel, so it's a purity of fruit and slate expression that is refreshing to see, smell, and taste. At 13.5% ABV, it also has enough heft for the burgers we enjoyed with it, but not enough alcohol to sizzle through the tongue. 87/100 - a nicely balanced wine, with exactly what you expect in a good, young, Montsant
Bottom line: Try it if you want a cheaper, purer expression of the region.
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