Mas d'En Compte - Black Slate Porrera 2019
Price: $32.99
Sale Price: $23.99
Priorat is a region located in the rugged mountains of northeastern Spain. Priorat exploded on the wine seen in the late 1980s, early 1990s, combining their old vines Garnacha and Carinena (Grenache and Carignan) with the unique llicorella soil to produce massive, rich, sumptuous reds. Quality… and prices… have been skyrocketing since.
Yet Priorat today is at a crossroads. With all the success, and dollars, came a certain drive towards uniformity – the region is terribly small, and in modern times, not very flourishing – so old farmers and families sought the quick buck. Duplicate the style of the most famous Priorat and don’t ask questions!
But now, there is a dilemma. “Right now Priorat is struggling. It was the king of powerful, concentrated wines, but the style seems to be slowly losing ground and interest from consumers. If you are part of a fashion, sooner or later your time will end, as all fashions come and go. And after it goes, where do you go?” poses Luis Guitierrez of the Wine Advocate.
Thanks to the famed llicorella soil, which is quick to warm and retains heat well, the region will always produce ripe, rich wines. So how does respect the soil that made the region so famous, while considering evolving tastes?
For many, this involves replanting the “international” varieties that helped propel Priorat to glory – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. The more indigenous Garnacha, and especially Carinena, are better suited to handling the heat of the llicorella soil without achieving excessively high alcohol. Larger volume oak barrels and less use of oak in general also add to a more elegant styling. And, as producers move towards more sustainable agriculture, be it organic or biodynamic, with little use of fertilizers, winemakers are finding their grapes are able to achieve full ripeness – but again, without excessively high alcohol. Finally, many are now using indigenous, natural yeasts, which are less effective than selected yeasts, meaning they use more sugar to obtain one degree of alcohol.
Don’t be confused by all of this – Priorat is still king of rich, luscious, dense wines. But they are now achieving a balance at 14.5-15% alcohol… instead of 16.5% and beyond!
Okay… so what about this wine in particular? The Black Slate project was started by importer Eric Solomon. He has selected wineries from all over Priorat to highlight their own interpretation of the famed “Black Slate” soil – aka licorella. This comes from Cellar Cal Pla, located in the village of Porrera, one of the coolest micro-climates in Priorat. This results in pronounced floral notes and intense minerality to balance the lush, opulent fruit.Simply stunning, this baby is at home with simple, hearty food, like lamb grilled simply with rosemary, salt and pepper. When the weather turns colder, this will be absolutely amazing with comfort dishes – braised rabbit with olives, roast pork shoulder, braised short ribs, etc. Hmm…
Jeb Dunnuck
“Plums, blueberries, licorice, violets, candied rose, and a beautiful spice character all emerge from the 2017 Black Slate Porrera, and it’s incredibly complex and nuanced aromatically. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, powerful red with incredible finesse, elegant, silky tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It's another heavenly wine selling for way below what it’s worth.” Jeb Dunnuck on 95 pt 2017
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