Scala Dei Cartoixa 2020

Scala Dei Cartoixa is made by Celler Scala Dei in La Morera del Montsant, in D.O.Q. Priorat, one of the oldest names in the appellation, with bottles dispatched to the Paris Universal Exposition as far back as 1878. The wine is a blend of Garnacha Tinta and Cariñena drawn from the cellar's own vineyards. Priorat's defining feature is its soil, the licorella, a fractured slate and quartzite that forces vine roots deep in search of water and yields tiny crops of intensely flavoured grapes. That low-yielding, stressed-vine viticulture, combined with the steep terraced slopes and the hot, dry Mediterranean climate moderated by altitude, is what gives Priorat its concentration and its mineral, stony signature. The wine ages for eighteen months in oak, softening the firm Cariñena tannins through slow oxygen exchange and adding spice and structure without masking the fruit. It shows dark red and black fruit, dried herbs, liquorice and an earthy, slate-like minerality, with a full body, firm tannin and a long savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees, decanting an hour ahead. It suits roast lamb, grilled red meat and earthy mushroom dishes.