Partida Creus Garrut 2021

Partida Creus Garrut is a natural red without denomination of origin, made by Celler Partida Creus in Bonastre in the Baix Penedès, Tarragona. Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori work small plots of narrow-rowed vines, recovering old local varieties and farming with a low-intervention, Slow Food philosophy that respects the land. Garrut, the Catalan name for Monastrell or Mourvèdre, is a late-ripening grape suited to the warm, dry Mediterranean climate of the area, giving dark colour, firm tannin and a wild, savoury character. The wine is made naturally, with spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts and minimal sulphur, which keeps the fruit expressive and the wine textured and alive. It is aged twenty months in oak, long enough to soften the tannins and add depth while the slow oxygen exchange integrates the structure. The result is a deep, full-bodied red with ripe plum and dark cherry, black pepper, dried herbs and an earthy, leathery savouriness. The tannins are firm and the finish is long and rustic in the best sense. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees, decanted, with grilled and stewed meats, mushrooms and hard cheeses.