Les Sentius d'en Joan Bta. Domènech 2009
Finques de Cims, DOC Priorat, Cims de Porrera, 750 ml
Description
Les Sentius is entirely made from grapes from very old "Carinyena" vines planted in 1950 at 630 m above sea level. The resulting low yields (it takes grapes from 3 vines for 1 bottle) give the wine a concentrated fruit intensity, complexity as well as a long aromatic finish. As soon as it is poured, the wine exudes a highly intense aroma of spicy and fruity aromas such as Amarena cherries, aronia berries, mocha, noble incense, sultanas, leather and dried meadow flowers. The complex range of aromas and flavours continues to unfold with aeration. On the palate, the wine is characterised by its elegance, delicacy and full-bodied aroma. It is balsamic and sensual on the palate, with aromas reminiscent of pepper, plums, smoked bacon, Mediterranean herbs and humid slate. We recommend decanting the wine about 1 hour before drinking. We would enjoy it most with paella catalana or a Spanish bean stew with chorizo.
Attributes
| Origin: | Spain / Catalunya / Priorato |
| Grape variety: | Carignan |
| Label: | Vegan |
| Ripening potential: | 15 to 25 years after harvest |
| Drinking temperature: | 16 to 18 °C |
| Food Pairing: | Moroccan specialities, Saddle of lamb fillet with herb jus, Roast saddle of venison, Bistecca fiorentina, T-Bone steak, Wild fowl, Paella |
| Vinification: | fully destemmed, Punching down, soft pressing |
| Harvest: | hand-picking, in small boxes |
| Maturation: | in new barriques, long cultivation |
| Maturation duration: | 18 months |
| Volume: | 14.5 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
Carignan
Fervid oddball
The red Carignan is a heat-loving Mediterranean grape. It has a bit of everything over other varieties: more colour, more tannins, more acid. It is not easy to press a harmonious wine from it alone. Hence it is most often encountered as a blend partner, as in the Côtes du Rhône wines. In Spain it is called Mazuelo and is part of the traditional Rioja recipe. It provides the wines’ acidic backbone. The most exciting varietal specimens come from the slate slopes of the Catalan Priorat (named here Cariñena), from old bush vines in Chile or from Sardinia, where it is known as Carignano. When pressed properly, this oddball generates a lush bouquet of plums and dark fruits. Its origins lie in the northwest Spanish Aragon, near the town of Cariñena. The surrounding wine area is also named after it. In order to prevent confusion with the vine, it is called Samsó there.
Priorato
Priorat: Vergessen, wiederentdeckt, gefeiert…
Noch anfangs der 80er Jahre war das Priorat eine durch die Abwanderung geschwächte Problemregion. Dann entdeckten vier junge Winzer den verlassenen Talkessel, der nur eine Autostunde von der katalonischen Mittelmeerküste entfernt liegt, und begannen mit der Restauration der alten Rebanlagen. Heute sind die Priorat-Weine, die meistens von den alteingesessenen Sorten Garnacha und Cariñena geprägt werden, weltweit gefragt. Dank der spektakulären Renaissance der Priorat-Weine erlebt die ganze Region einen Aufschwung.
Catalunya
Catalonia: the great range
Spain’s second largest wine region has an impressive variety to offer. As a result, there are eleven different designations of origin in Catalonia. As the home of cava, Catalonia is one of the leading producers of sparkling wines produced according to classical methods. There is a wide selection of both elegant white wines and well-structured reds. Areas such as Priorat or Montsant have experienced an enormous upswing in recent years. The traditional sweet wine Moscatel de Sitges is also produced here.
Spain
Spain – Variety and perfection
“Somewhere in la Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember...,” begins Don Quixote's odyssey.
The most famous part is definitely when Don Quixote thinks windmills are his enemy and wants to fight them – until they nearly kill him. It’s possible there was a bit too much of the La Mancha wine at play. Spanish vines fight for their survival in rugged landscapes, battling fierce drought and rough soils. But they fight well.
