Clos Galena 2019

Clos Galena is made by Domini de la Cartoixa in the D.O.Q. Priorat, a rugged, mountainous corner of Catalonia. The wine is a blend of Garnacha Tinta, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cariñena and Syrah, drawn from five of the estate's 14 hectares, farmed organically. Priorat's identity comes from its llicorella, a fractured slate soil that forces vine roots deep through the rock for water and lends the wines their mineral signature, while the steep slopes and dry, hot climate, tempered by altitude and cool nights, give deep colour and concentration with retained freshness. The fruit is harvested by hand and each variety is fermented and macerated separately in stainless steel, which preserves clean fruit and lets the winemaker assemble the final blend with precision. The wine then ages 12 months in French oak, where slow oxygen exchange builds a finer tannic texture and adds sweet spice and cocoa. The colour is deep, dark ruby. The nose is led by dark spice, ripe plum and black fruit, with liquorice, dark chocolate and the stony, mineral note of the slate. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm, ripe tannins and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. It suits grilled red meat and game.