Mas d’en Gil Coma Vella 2005
Last sunday I opened a bottle of Priorat we had been saving for an occasion, but having some good friends and family round the table, and a rich topside of ruby beef we decided to pull the cork and enjoy this superb red.
The wine region of Priorat is situated over a range of hills behind the coast of southern Catalonia, about two hours south-west of Barcelona.
The poor soil has a redeeming feature, mica crystals hold water, (Licorelle) allowing sugars to slowly develop, leading to some of the strongest most robust wines available. Grenache and Carignan is the usual blend but many new growers are experimenting with additions of sauvignon and merlot. It has a superb depth, is dark and voluptuous and has that smack of leathery tannin that makes you realise you have a great old world wine. It really wants a meal with it, preferably robust and strongly flavoured too. Worth the price if you have a reason, the 2004 and 2005 are drinking well now, perhaps the 2005 has the edge, we haven’t yet tried the 2006.
Priorat has consistently been voted as hosting some of the best wines in Spain. Prices correspond with the higher quality that the rest of the world has to offer, many recent vintages selling for well over 50 euros a bottle.
Mas d’en Gil Coma Vella is one of the larger vineyards in a very small region, with a good name for consistent quality.
Last June I visited this remote and relatively isolated region to get a feel of the wine and place. We had lunch in a small cheap hotel in Falset- the nearest main conurbation to the region. The house wine was dark and young with that bright purple fruit flavour a good wine has before any ageing- and the meal typical spanish everyday fare. Only 10 euros and a vibrant sense of historic old Spain.