Castillo Perelada Lunch Tasting

Vinunic invited to a tasting of wines from Castillo Perelada and Eugeni Llos Norenberg, a Norwegian by birth, that works at the estate presented the wines. I visited the estate last year and was really impressed by many of the wines they produce.

NV Cava Brut Reserva
This big selling bubble (3,5 million bt/year) has a light, cool nose with notes of almonds, gravel and dried pears. Nice enough.
The taste is dry and fine with notes of grapefruit, almond flakes and gravel. A medium long finish with a hint of bitterness.
81p   (tasted 2016/05)

NV Cava Brut Rosado
The Rosé is a whole other ballgame, with a medium deep, fresh nose with notes of lingonberries, wild strawberries, almond cookies and crushed rocks. A god lift to the nose. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and focused with notes of lingonberry jam, earth, blood oranges and gravel. A medium long finish with a fine acidity. Really good and for 11 Euro a true bargain.
87p   (tasted 2016/05)

2015 Només Garnatxa Blanca
A flowery, rather big nose great you when you put your nose in the glass, with additional notes of strawberries and dusty earth. Very good.
The taste is open and broad with notes of summer flowers, assorted red berries, gravel and a hint of butter. Very good when cold, but lost some of its freshness when it gets warmer in the glass.
85p   (tasted 2016/05)

2015 GR-174
This is a big seller in Sweden, I have not tasted it before but I can see why - the nose is big and open with a herbal warmth and notes of plums, chocolate biscuits and liquorice. Lacks depth and complexity but is very likable.
The taste is big and warm with notes of dried cherries, plums, chocolate and herbs. A medium long finish with a soft ending. Gulpable but not really my cup of tea.
84p   (tasted 2016/05)

2012 5 Finques Reserva
The name derives from the 5 single vineyards Perelada owns in Emporda and this wine is made out of grapes from the young vines from these sites. It is a blend of Garnatxa, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Samso, Monastrell and Ull de Llebre. The nose is big and open for business with fine notes of scorched earth, plums, meat stock and fresh herbs, Very, very good.
The taste is big, warm and forward with notes of plums, chocolate, bonfire and fried herbs. A long, distinct finish with a fine warmth and some earthy tannins. For drinking now and the coming 5+ years.
88p   (tasted 2016/05)

2011 Finca La Garriga
There was something wrong with this bottle and there were no replacement so no judgement. Too bad, I liked the La Garriga most of the three single vineyard bottling when I tasted them in Spain last year.
No rating   (tasted 2016/05)

2012 Finca Malaveïna
This one shows of a fine, warm nose with notes of ripe blueberries, hot earth, bakelite and dry tobacco. Very good.
The taste is big and seedy with notes of spicy plums, cigarette ashes, earth and bay leaves. Long and warm. Very good. A blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 13% Syrah and 7% Garnatxa.
87p   (tasted 2016/05)

2013 Aires de Garbet
This 100% Garnatxa wine has spend 12 months in used Bordeaux barriques before bottling. It displays a deep, dense nose with notes of ripe blackberries, chocolate biscuits, warm gravel and some peppery aromas. Very fine. A dark perfumed scent.
The taste is young, tight and focused with notes of blueberries, bonfire, gravel and crushed peppers. A very long, sandy finish with some sturdy tannins. Wait 3+ years. This will turn out great.
90p   (tasted 2016/05)

2011 Gran Cruor
Moving over to Priorat for the next two bottles. The 2011 Gran Cruor is a 100% Carayena wine and shows of a spicy, warm nose with notes of peppery black fruits, meat, dark flowers and hot earth. Very good but a tad on the warm side.
The taste is big, tight and intense with notes of blackberries, sweet violets, meat stock and hot gravel. A long, warm finish. More restrained on the palate. Needs time. Very, very good.
88p   (tasted 2016/05)

2010 Gran Cruor
The one year older Gran Cruor is a blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Carayena and 15% Garnatxa, and also a much better wine. The nose is deep and concentrated with notes of peppery blueberries, bay leaves, warm tiles and a fine perfumed note. A lovely nose.
The taste is dark and dense with notes of blue- and blackberries, fried herbs, violets and lightly peppered meat. A long, long finnish with a fine tannin structure. Wait 5+ years and you will have a stunning bottle of wine.
92p   (tasted 2016/05)

2007 Finca Garbet
The Finca Garbet was the only one of the better wines I didn´t taste at my visit to Castello Perelada. I bought the 2006 but haven´t done the deed yet, so it was interesting to get to taste the 07 now. And boy, what a wine! This 100% Syrah delivers the goods! The nose is fantastic in its intensity and focus yet displaying lightness and layer upon layer of seductive black- and blueberries with some ripe black cherries tossed in. There also are fine notes of sweet violets, dried flowers, dark chocolate and a gorgeously perfumed scent. Really, really fine.
The taste is big and bold yet elegant and delicate with notes of ripe blackberries, violets, veal stock, bay leaves and dried flowers. The finish goes on for over a minute and there are plenty of tannins beneath the gorgeous fruit. Give this 5-7 years and it will flirt with perfection. I would love to put this into a line up of fine Côte-Rôtie´s and see what would happen. Great wine!
96p   (tasted 2016/05)