Tastings: Catalunya's best aged wines

There is an annual Catalan wine award called “Els Premis Vinari”, given by the local wine publication Vadevi. While I wasn’t able to participate as a judge last year due to scheduling issues, I was able to fit it in this year. 

Essentially, a number of people involved in wine in Catalunya (sommeliers, journalists, oenologists, etc.) gather to test various groups of wines. The tasting is blind, ensuring there’s no favouritism and that the playing field is level. There are various winners in each category and this year, unusually, there was a tie in the “Best Aged Wine” category. Even more unusual was that the same wines then tied in the “Best Overall Wine” category, seeing the Mas de la Rosa from Vall Llach and the Vd’O 1.10 from Vinyes d’Olivardots both receive the award. But, maybe it’s not as strange as it seems. Both wines are old vine Carignan and from slate soils, going to show that, despite being from opposite ends of Catalunya, this combination makes for one hell of a wine.

Vinyes d’Olivardots - Vd’O 1.10 2010 40€

From DO Empordà, this wine holds smoky dark cherry notes and a touch of graphite that translates into a full, round and seductive wine on the palate, with a long finish. A very age-worthy vintage that is just now showing its excellence.

Vall Llach - Mas de la Rosa 2013 105€

From DOQ Priorat and one of the “Vi de Finca” qualified estate wines, this wine’s stone minerality and crisp red fruits leap out of the glass along with light, delicate floral notes. In the mouth, the acidity is perfectly balanced and lifts the generous body of the wine. It’s showing well now and will age for 10 years or more. 

Miquel Hudin is a sommelier originally from California, now based in Barcelona. He founded the Vinologue series of wine books.