Pure Cariñena from a winery that combines the best of traditional
and modern philosophies, producing wines with integrity. A rich, lightly-oaked,
stylish red that shows the grape variety at its best with plum and sweet, figgy
fruit and good minearlity and freshness.
Similar Wines: £10-£20, 86-90, Spain, Red, Carignan
This is sourced from sandy soils, but it’s another single vineyard, old vine Cariñena. Richer, denser and more oxidative in style, this is figgy and slightly dry with a balsamic undertone. More tannic, too.
Similar Wines: £30-£50, 91-95, Spain, Red, Carignan
Blending Garnatxa and Syrah and aged for six months in oak,
this is an ambitious rosado with good concentration and notes of red fruits and
wild herbs. Subtle wild strawberry fruit, a nip of tannin and fresh acidity.
Slightly pricey.
Similar Wines: £20-£30, 86-90, Spain, Rose, Grenache, Syrah/Shiraz
Named after the Roman term for Roses, this is a rich, profoundly coloured blend of Cariñena and Syrah. Chewy, concentrated and showing some oak, this is a little dry, but has enough fruit sweetness for balance. A little rustic.
Similar Wines: £10-£20, 86-90, Spain, Red, Carignan, Syrah/Shiraz
The top wine from Roig Parals, sourced from an old,
low-yielding vineyard named after a Civil War escape route through the Pyrenees.
With incense and wild herbs on the nose, this is like walking into a Catholic
church during high mass. Dense and concentrated, with subtle oak, layer upon
layer of wild, spicy , herbal flavours, medium-weight, tarry tannins and a
sweet core of fruit sustained by refreshing acidity.
Similar Wines: £30-£50, 91-95, Spain, Red
The most photographed vineyard in Catalunya (and one of the most ambitiously priced), this is minty, herbal and surprisingly youthful for a 2006. Syrah with a little Cabernet Sauvignon, showing lots of oak, sweet fruit and a firm finish. An ambitious wine that should age further in bottle.
Similar Wines: £100-£200, 91-95, Spain, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz
Fresh, spicy, raspberry fruity rosado with good acidity and
a little bit of residual sweetness. Rosehip and wild strawberry, with appealing
freshness.
Similar Wines: £5-£10, 86-90, Spain, Rose
A blend of Garnatxa, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
that flirts with high volatile acidity and some green notes but still manages
to work. Serious tannins, slightly dry, with capsicum and blackcurrant
flavours.
Similar Wines: £20-£30, 86-90, Spain, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz
Blending Mediterranean and Bordeaux varieties to good
effect, this is an ambitious, savoury, concentrated red with sturdy tannins,
marked oak and youthful, intense, blackberry and mulberry fruit.
Similar Wines: £30-£50, 91-95, Spain, Red
Very serious, very ambitious, but so it should be at the price. This blend of Syrah and Grenache shows flavours of sweet red fruits, vanilla spice and liquorice with stylish, smooth tannins, superb balance and a slightly dry finish.
Similar Wines: £100-£200, 91-95, Spain, Red, Grenache, Syrah/Shiraz
Vibrant, youthful, aromatic blend of Cabernet, Merlot and
Grenache with the emphasis on juicy fruit flavours of red cherry and plum
rather than oak. The wine carries its alcohol with ease, thanks to the fresh
acidity here.
Similar Wines: £10-£20, 86-90, Spain, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Merlot
Grassy, concentrated blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Cariñena from an ambitious co-operative. The tannins are a tad firm, but this
is a serious, cassis-scented red with fresh acidity and a hint of greenness.
Similar Wines: £10-£20, 86-90, Spain, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Merlot