Alvaro Palacios, Priorat Ermita

Alvaro Palacios, Priorat ErmitaGlass staining ruby. Heady, complex scents of candied dark berries, incense, potpourri and smoky minerals, with a sexy vanilla nuance in the background. Juicy, penetrating and pure, with superb clarity and power to the black raspberry and boysenberry flavors. The floral element comes back strong on the mineral driven finish, which lingers with outstanding tenacity, velvety tannins and echoing sweet blue fruit. Josh Raynolds

Doug Shafer noted that this fruit was picked at up to 26 degrees Brix

which is astonishing and has great depth and detail while coming through as light and even ethereal (within its style

During my visit in May

this was initially badly reduced

partially buffers the extremely firm tannic spine shaping the quite chewy

An exotically perfumed bouquet presents candied dark berries and cherry-cola

pepper and liquid violets characteristics

utterly graceful and the oak beautifully integrated

especially when you consider the vintage

Surely something simpler must be possible

Mineral- and smoke-accented blackberry and blueberry on the intensely perfumed nose and in the mouth

mineral-driven tones