Les Mines | Priorat

2006

An exceptional find from the lost world of Priorat—Spain's finest and smallest wine growing region which until a few years ago was almost inaccessible. Only the sturdiest of vines can survive on these beautiful and hostile slopes. Les Mines is a blend of Carignan and Grenache from 50-70 year old vines produced in tiny quantities—a few hundred cases each year—all matured in new French barrels. A real treat—and delicious.

Our tasting notes

Deep, dark purple with an opulent nose that radiates rich fruit and ripe figs. Concentrated with a hint of sweetness and Christmas pudding flavours, the wine is still young, fresh and beautifully balanced. Very well-made serious wine.

Wine data

Grape variety: Carignan, Grenache
Appellation: DOQ Priorat
Winemaker: Josep Angel Mestre
Alcohol: 14.5%

 

About Priorat

In the last decade Priorat has risen from obscurity to become one of Spain's top wine regions, a source of some sought-after, superstar red wines. At the beginning of the 1990s few outside of Spain had heard of Priorat (known as Priorato in Castilian), an ancient wine region predating the arrival of the Romans, but the emergence of several ambitious new winemakers has led to a quality revolution, producing wines that now express the full potential of these spectacular terroirs.

Priorat is a small, isolated region, located slightly west of Tarragona in Catalonia, approximately 60 kilometers southwest of Barcelona. Its trump card is its unique soil, known as llicorella. This is a dark slate which sparkles in the high sun from the quartzite that runs through it. The climate is ideal for fine wine production, with hot days and cool nights during the growing season. Low rainfall levels force the vines to root deeply into the soil to find a steady but controlled water supply. Couple this terroir with the low-yielding old Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan) vines that predominate, and the result is concentrated, profound red wines with heady aromas and complex, minerally flavours.

 

Prices are all-inclusive for deliveries within the Republic of Ireland. Minimum total order is 1 case (12 bottles of 75cl equivalent) and may be mixed 2 cases (24 bottles of 75cl equivalent) of your choice. We use recycled boxes for our mixed cases to help protect the environment. For more details, please view our ordering information or contact us on 01 845 7645 or info@fromvineyardsdirect.ie