Old Mining Town Strikes a

PRIORAT

PRIMITIU

As many of you know one of my favorite wine regions is Priorat, situated about 40 miles inland from the Tarragona coastline of Mediterranean Spain. More specifically, I am gaga for "Primitiu", a term coined by the local producers in the late 1990s to distinguish wines produced purely from Priorat's traditional varietals of old vine Garnatxa (Grenache) and Carinyena (Carignane). No argument, Priorat's old vine Carignane produces world class wines. The Primitiu wines are more expressive of the region's distinctive "licorella"-schist terroir, than the more modern Priorat wines blended with additions of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah from the new vineyards planted in the late 1980s and 90s when the region reemerged from almost a hundred years of abandonment. Less Primitiu is produced, as few old vineyards have survived, and those only weep miniscule yields of the vine's "blood". So it stands to reason, Primitiu is always pricier, and in greater demand. Even these days, the most desirable bottles of Primitiu continue to range in price from $75 to $400+ a bottle. Primitiu produced by Vall Llach, Clos Mogador, Clos Martinet, Nit di Nin, Mas Doix and Mas Romani are amongst my most prized wines in my personal cellar.

To refresh, or become more acquainted with Priorat, simply click on this LUCKY! link, for the newsletter I wrote on March 17th, 2009 regarding my last great discovery in value Priorat; the 2005 Mas Negres.

NOW I HAVE ANOTHER Primitiu VALUE for you!!

2007 Finca el Mirador "Primitiu"

....from the Bartolome Cellars in Bellmunt del Priorat, a remote, deserted, old mining town of about 300 inhabitants.

Composed of Grenache (55%) and Carignane (45%) from "youthful" 40 to 50 year schist entrenched vines, and then aged for 12 months in French Allier oak, the 07 el Mirador is just too good to believe!!

Not heavy, overripe, dull or too alcoholic (14.5%), characteristics that can plague Priorat wines from this typically arid and hot region, the 07 el Mirador manages to maintain symmetry, while delivering a plethora of spicy, intense, vibrant, black, blue, and red tinged fruits with an attractive combine of underlying minerality, rusticity, and youthful gritty tannin to generate a WOW factor over the next five years. Great with a grilled sausage paella!

. Old bush vines stress to survive in the steep, unirrigated schist vineyards of Priorat!

El Mirador is a bargain priced at $22.95 a bottle!

There are only 50 cases available, and we have half of them!

If you have not tried a Priorat yet, especially the Primitui traditional blend, then this is your best value opportunity. I know those Mas Negres fans will be ready to pounce!!

Primitivo