La Creu Alta 2019

Mas Alta works the steep terraces of the Priorat, where vines 80 to 100 years old are planted on licorella, the fractured slate and quartzite that defines the appellation. The poor, free-draining soil forces roots deep in search of water, keeping yields very low and concentrating the fruit, while the bowl of surrounding hills traps summer heat and pushes Cariñena and Garnacha to full ripeness, hence the 15.2 percent alcohol. Altitude of 300 to 550 metres and a wide day-to-night temperature swing preserve acidity and aromatic detail despite that ripeness. After a double selection and hand harvest, the wine ages 18 months in French oak, where slow oxygen ingress fixes colour, builds mid-palate structure and integrates the firm tannin drawn from old-vine skins. The colour is deep and opaque. The nose shows black plum and cherry over liquorice, dried herbs and a smoky, stony minerality that reads back to the slate. The palate is full and structured, with dense tannin, warm fruit and a long savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanting at least an hour ahead, with grilled red meat or game.