A turbo-charged Samsó (Cariñena) and Garnatxa blend with deep colour and evident oak on the nose. Dense, wild and herby, with plenty of thyme and rosemary flaovurs, firmish, food friendly tannins and dark, brambly fruit.
Try this with a juicy steak or a leg of lamb.
Old vine Cariñena and Garnacha that expresses the essence of Empordà. Rich, concentrated an slightly rustic with high-toned notes of fig, volatile acidity and wild herbs. Needs food.
Dense, concentrated, modern blend of Cariñena and Garnatxa that’s made to age. It’s a serious, yet stylish wine that tastes as good it looks, with sun-kissed black and red fruits, tangy acidity and a core of tarry tannins. Needs robust food.
A Cariñena-based blend with some bottle age. Despite the high alcohol, this is a stylish wine, with savoury tannins, sweet flavours of fig and wild strawberry and a rich, satisfying finish.
Blending Cariñena, Garnatxa and Cabernet Sauvignon to good effect, David Molas has produced an unoaked cuvée with lots of character. The alcohol isn’t apparent here, thanks to the fresh acidity, while the tannins are surrounded by sweet raspberry fruit. A winery that never lets you down.
Inky, profoundly coloured, structured blend of Cariñena and Merlot, the latter benefiting from some oak. It’s a little raw at the moment, but there’s plenty of plum and blackberry fruit here. A name to keep an eye on.
Using organic and biodynamic methods, Marta Arenas makes appealingly refreshing, understated wines. This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and other local varieties is grassy and cassis-like with firmish tannins.
A varietal Samsó (Cariñena) from one the region’s most ambitious producers, this is a modern style Emporda red with lashings of sweet oak. The freshness and spiciness of the Samsó give the wine lift and balance, with dark, black fruits to the fore. A wine that needs some time in the bottle to show at its best.
A varietal Cariñena from one of the better co-ops in the region. This is a tarry, slightly chewy red with plenty of tannin, notes of wild Mediterranean herbs and refreshing acidity. The fruit is drying a little on the palate.
Modern, blackberry, bramble and liquorice-scented Carignan aimed at the export market with good texture, medium weight tannins, well-integrated oak and a firm, food friendly finish. Make sure you drink this with robust food.
Aromatic, grassy Bordeaux style blend with some Grenache and Syrah for added complexity. The tannins are a little firm here, but the fruit is still fresh and sweet, with cassis and blueberry to the fore.
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.