Alvaro Palacios
Finca Dofí Priorat Garnacha Blend
Priorat, Catalunya, Spain
Dark purple color, lovely and nuanced nose of herbs, pepper, earth, blackberries, and some dark chocolate on the palate.
Fine tannins, long aftertaste and is was a tread drinking this Bottle !! 94DSP
Dark purple color, lovely and nuanced nose of herbs, pepper, earth, blackberries, and some dark chocolate on the palate.
Fine tannins, long aftertaste and is was a tread drinking this Bottle !! 94DSP
First Garnacha with any significant age and this was spectacular. So much going on in here once it breathed for a little bit. Cardamom, rosemary, thyme, blackberry compote, brown sugar caramel, dark chocolate, all kinds of dried fruit, and fine tannins.
First Garnacha with any significant age and this was spectacular. So much going on in here once it breathed for a little bit. Cardamom, rosemary, thyme, blackberry compote, brown sugar caramel, dark chocolate, all kinds of dried fruit, and fine tannins.
Apr 30th, 2017
Very very tightly wound....
Barnyard open, gave way to potting soil, then red fruit emerged. Some black licorice. Tannins remained quite dry. Complex, but not much fruit left.
92 points
Very very tightly wound....
Barnyard open, gave way to potting soil, then red fruit emerged. Some black licorice. Tannins remained quite dry. Complex, but not much fruit left.
92 points
Slightly cloudy, dull. Medium ruby-red to a red rim. Elevated intensity nose, clean and mid-development (still a bit primary).
Turbulent and classically complex nose. Animal fur (suggesting Brettanomyces). Bruised apple skins and figs (suggesting acetaldehyde / slight oxidation), a combination of ripe black cherry, strawberry preserves, and dark plum and cassis (mostly black with some red fruits suggesting millerandage/variable ripening or a blend—in this case both a blend of 60% Grenache, which has variable ripening, and some cab, Carignan, Merlot, and Syrah, contributing dark fruits). Significant aging in Nerw Oak which presents as baking spices, medium-roast coffee, roasted nuts, and dark chocolate. A lack of dill notes and the well-melded maillard character suggest French / European oak rather than American oak [This is correct - 100% new French barriques]. There’s fresh turned earth on this, and slight savory tobacco tones from age, but overall it’s still relatively strong in primary fruit. The nose is highly complex, and can develop further.
In the mouth this is (by all accounts), textbook Priorat:
Full-bodied, with high alcohol, around 14% [close - 14.5%]. Elevated acidity, strong and mostly tartaric (possibly acidified, but done so tastefully). Medium tannins— rounded, softened coffee-ground-like, felt all over the mouth (oak-influenced tannins for sure). The finish is long, finishing with dark fruit and bitter-chocolate tannins. Midpalate this shows extremely deep fruit, dark and open, with just a hint of savory stewed bell pepper (suggesting pyrazines from the Cabernet/Merlot). Roasted nuts, strawberry jam, savory animal fur, bruised-apple / sweet cider, and fresh turned earth round out a muscular yet poised palate. If you could dress Nijinsky in Vantablack and pour him into a glass, it would taste something like this.
Slightly cloudy, dull. Medium ruby-red to a red rim. Elevated intensity nose, clean and mid-development (still a bit primary).
Turbulent and classically complex nose. Animal fur (suggesting Brettanomyces). Bruised apple skins and figs (suggesting acetaldehyde / slight oxidation), a combination of ripe black cherry, strawberry preserves, and dark plum and cassis (mostly black with some red fruits suggesting millerandage/variable ripening or a blend—in this case both a blend of 60% Grenache, which has variable ripening, and some cab, Carignan, Merlot, and Syrah, contributing dark fruits). Significant aging in Nerw Oak which presents as baking spices, medium-roast coffee, roasted nuts, and dark chocolate. A lack of dill notes and the well-melded maillard character suggest French / European oak rather than American oak [This is correct - 100% new French barriques]. There’s fresh turned earth on this, and slight savory tobacco tones from age, but overall it’s still relatively strong in primary fruit. The nose is highly complex, and can develop further.
In the mouth this is (by all accounts), textbook Priorat:
Full-bodied, with high alcohol, around 14% [close - 14.5%]. Elevated acidity, strong and mostly tartaric (possibly acidified, but done so tastefully). Medium tannins— rounded, softened coffee-ground-like, felt all over the mouth (oak-influenced tannins for sure). The finish is long, finishing with dark fruit and bitter-chocolate tannins. Midpalate this shows extremely deep fruit, dark and open, with just a hint of savory stewed bell pepper (suggesting pyrazines from the Cabernet/Merlot). Roasted nuts, strawberry jam, savory animal fur, bruised-apple / sweet cider, and fresh turned earth round out a muscular yet poised palate. If you could dress Nijinsky in Vantablack and pour him into a glass, it would taste something like this.
I've waited to open this for about 7 years. Off the charts.
I've waited to open this for about 7 years. Off the charts.
Oct 3rd, 2014