Vinyes dels Aspres | Oriol 2007

PV Tasting Notes

The Oriol is the young red wine released from this estate and this new bottling is an example of what is to come from the magnificent 2007 Mediterranean vintage. Dark ruby/purple in colour it offers a slightly baked fragrance of scorched raspberry and Picota cherry fruit, on the palate the fruit is sumptuously sweet and layered, the flavours are intense and long, with nice acidity  and quite elegantly styled. For an inexpensive wine, this punches way above its weight. Only a mere 830 cases of 12 made. Tasted June 2007, drink now through 2012.

A heavily fruit driven wine, versatile and will suit most foods but perhaps best with well hung game and any hard cheese alternatively a new goat’s cheese, will also suit beef stew’s, stroganoff, cassoulet, stuffed cabbage, Chilli, BBQ alternatively duck or kebabs.

The vineyard dates from the 17th Century and is located at Can Battle near Cantallops, the most northerly village in the Interior of Catalonia, sheltered by the Albera Mountains, the land rises and gently falls in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Vines are between 10 and 70 years old with an average age of thirty years. With some 95% of the production given over to the traditional grape styles of the region, and small amount of more modern styles, Cabernet, Syrah and Merlot have been introduced to in the last 15 years. The earth around this region is made up of granite and shale, very suitable for the production of quality grapes. Production is small, only 3,000 cases per year across seven different wines, all are unique and flavoursome.