Domini de la Cartoixa ‘Clos Galena’ 2020

Clos Galena comes from Domini de la Cartoixa in El Molar, in D.O.Q. Priorat, its name a nod to the Carthusian monks of Scala Dei who first worked these hillsides. It is a blend of Garnacha, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Merlot from fourteen organically farmed plots. Priorat's signature is llicorella, a slate soil that forces the vines to root deep for water and gives the wines their concentration and stony minerality; the steep terraces and warm, dry climate bring low yields and dark, ripe fruit. Grapes are hand harvested and sorted, then the wine spends twelve months in oak barrels, where the tannins settle and gain spice through slow oxidation. It is deep, dense ruby. The nose shows dark plum and red berries with black pepper, cocoa and liquorice, and the mineral, faintly earthy note that marks Priorat. The palate is full and structured, the tannins firm and grippy, carried by good acidity to a long, stony finish. This has the frame to develop further in bottle. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead. Suited to roast and grilled red meats, game and mushroom dishes. Organic.