Costers del Priorat 'Clos Cypres' - Samso (Carignan)

2018

Priorat

While Priorat is a comparatively new wine region, it has quickly made a name for itself and the powerful wines it creates - so much so that it is the only region to be granted DOCa status, the highest designation within Spanish wine law, outside of Rioja! This area is characterized by its unique black slate and quartz soil (known as llicorella), which both retains heat from the sun that is essential to the proper ripening of the grapes and adds a distinctive minerality to the wine. ‘Clos Cypress’ comes from the historic Sant Marti vineyard, planted in 1934 at at 300-375ft altitude, and is named for the ancient cypress trees that stand adjacent to the vines. 100% Samso (more commonly known as Carignan or Carineña), this wine is robust with smooth tannins and a powerful bouquet of dark fruit, licorice, toasted cedar and forest floor. On the palate expect rich flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and anise, followed by a long finish.