2009 Ferrer Bobet Seleccio Especial

The 2009 Seleccio Especial is 100% Carinena from a single vineyard populated by 100-year-old vines, one of the first vineyards replanted after phylloxera. It has a supremely well-defined bouquet of blackberry, cassis, balsamic and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent, well-defined black fruit that manages to embrace the elegant side of the Carinena grape. The 100% new oak is very well-assimilated into the fleshy, poised finish, which shows great persistency, with hints of oyster shell right on the finish. Excellent. Drink 2016-2025+ Ferrer Bobat’s state-of-the-art winery, perched on a rocky outcrop in the sub-zone of Porrera, resembles Blofeld’s cliff-top lair from an early sixties Bond movie. Fortunately, the aim here is make top quality Priorat wine rather than world domination, and unlike Blofeld, they might well succeed. “I try and emphasize the freshest expression of the Priorat,” winemaker Raul Bobet tells me, as I try not to be hypnotized by the stunning, rocky panorama. “This is the coolest part of Priorat where there is a lot of influence from northern winds. So here, at high altitude, the Carinena ripens much later. We try to harvest as late as possible without any over-ripeness, use new oak from French Burgundy coopers with a fine grain and a light-medium toast. The vineyard was planted in 2003 and our first vintage was 2005. We have made new plantings that are currently unused, but they will go into a third wine in the future.” These were mightily impressive wines, some of the finest that I encountered in Priorat (as were Raul’s wines from Costers del Segre – see Castell d’Encus.) Importer: Vintus Wines, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000; www.vintuswine.com