DIT Celler Selenita Nit 2022

DIT Celler work in the D.O. Montsant, the mountainous appellation that rings Priorat in Catalonia and shares much of its geography and Mediterranean climate. Selenita Nit blends Garnacha Tinta with Samsó, the local name for Carignan, from organically farmed vines on the slopes above the valley floor. Montsant's soils mix slate, limestone and sandy clay, the poor, stony ground forcing low yields of concentrated fruit, while the warm days and cooling night winds off the hills hold acidity and lift the aromatics at a full 14.5 percent. The wine ages fifteen months in oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange softens the firm tannins of Carignan and knits the two grapes together with a measured spice. The colour is deep, almost black cherry, the nose showing ripe plum and black fruit over liquorice, dried herbs and a stony minerality. The palate is full bodied and structured, with firm, grainy tannin, fresh acidity and a long, peppery finish. Decant an hour ahead and serve at 17 to 18 degrees in a large glass. It pairs with grilled red meat, roast lamb and aged hard cheese.