In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to say that Priorat is my very favorite wine region in the world. Wine has been made there for many centuries, but it is unique in that the wine industry there pretty much shut down when Phylloxera hit the region in the late 19th century, and it never really recovered as a wine making region until the late 20th century. As a result, Priorat has a very unique blend of old world terroir and tradition with some modern influence from the pioneers who "rediscovered" the area in the late 1970s and early eighties. Priorat wines are typically pretty bold and muscular, but they have an added depth and dimension of minerality that is believed to come from the "llicorella" which is what the local Catalans call the mixture of slate and mica that dominate the soil in the region. Priorat reds are typically blends that are dominated by Garnacha and Carinena, but may also contain Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Syrah. Typically the only thing keeping me from drinking more Priorat is the high price tag, which is why I'm so excited about this 2007 Rottlan Torra.The 2007 Rottlan Torra is a deep garnet red in your glass. The nose brings elements of blackberry and dark cherries along with a pretty strong spice component to it. I also get a hint of cola, which is somewhat unexpected in a Priorat, but it seems to work well here. On the palate, you get delicious cherry fruit with well integrated tannins that are just a little dusty and stony. Very good acidity leads to a long finish that is pretty amazing for a wine that costs less than $15.
From a pairing standpoint, I would serve this with a nice steak or any grilled red meats. It would also go nicely with traditional Spanish tapas meats such as jamon iberico, chorizo, or morcilla.
Overall, this is a really nice wine that is an amazing find for just over $14! I'm going back to the store to stock up on this one!
Cheers!
Pete
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