Vall Llach, Priorat (Catalonia, Spain) 2010

Priorat is one of just two appellations awarded Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa) status, Spain’s highest official wine category (Rioja is the other).  Producers there are just starting to subdivide the region to show the distinctiveness of the wines from the various villages that comprise the DOCa.  I can’t determine whether this wine from the village of Porrera is, indeed, different from wines from another of the villages because Vall Llach doesn’t produce other village designated wines.  What I can report is that this wine is terrific and explains, in part, why area’s popularity has taken off.  Vall Llach uses the traditional blend for the region of mostly (75%) Cariñena — in this instance, old vine — and Garnacha for this wine.  Tradition works.  These varieties transmit a beguiling combination of wild strawberry-like fruit and minerality and carry the 15.5% stated alcohol effortlessly.  Despite its power, the wine has considerable grace and harmony.  It’s paradoxically bold, but floral and light a foot.  This is a perfect wintertime wine for those hearty lamb shanks.