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La Cartuja
La Cartuja
La Cartuja is a wine from the Priorat DOCa made by Bodegas La Cartuja, a winery founded in 2007 by Borja Osborne of the Osborne family (known by Sherry lovers around the world), Alberto Orte and Patrick Mata. The objective of the founders was to make an estate-bottled wine that showed the mineral complexity of Priorat at an inconceivable price. La Cartuja is a small-production cuvée intended to show the bold fruit, spices and minerality of Priorat in a youthful style. Most Priorat wines are expensive and require lots of time before they’re drinkable. La Cartuja is a fresh vision of Priorat, a wine that is young and accessible. During medieval times, La Cartuja was the name given to a large geographical area governed by the Carthusian monks. Similar to the Vatican estates, this area had its own code of law. The whole of Priorat was a ‘Cartuja,’ a religious state rather than a civil domain. Priorat’s winemaking heritage began with the Carthusian monks. For centuries they performed the backbreaking work necessary to care for these difficult, isolated vineyards.
What makes this wine unique?
Two things make this wine unique: the quality and the price. La Cartuja proudly proclaims the identity of the flavors of Priorat. The wine is made in an approachable style to be enjoyed young. It is neither alcoholic nor overly tannic. La Cartuja is an uncomplicated example of Priorat. Made with organic, estate-owned fruit, it is aged in oak barrels for only 6 months.
Rating history:
2010 90IWC; 2008 90RP; 2007 90RP&IWCGrape:
50% Garnacha, 30% Mazuelo, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Syrah.
Pairing Suggestions:
This wine has enough “stuffing” and structure to pair well with BBQ beef brisket or pork, grilled Argentine beef with chimichurri sauce, and mesquite grilled or smoked baby back pork ribs. It also has a freshness and spice character that is a good match for Cuban roast chicken, pork with Latin spices and cracked pepper turkey.
Vinification and ageing:
The wine undergoes two days of maceration followed by eight days of fermentation and ten days of extended maceration after fermentation. The wine is aged for 6 months, half in 225-liter and half in 300-liter French oak barrels.
Production:
3,000 cases are made; 1,350 for the U.S.
Location, Soil, Climate:
The vineyards are located in a 24-hectare (59 acre) estate named La Solana (‘Les Solanes’ in Catalan) within the heart of Priorat, between the towns of El Molar and El Lloar, 4.5 km southwest of Gratallops. The La Solana vineyard sits at 250 meters (820 feet) elevation with slopes that have a southeast exposure. These steep slopes overlook the Siurana River at the bottom of the valley, 1.6 kilometers away, which joins the Ebro River 8 km further on. The famous Ebro runs through Aragon, Navarra and Rioja. The soils of this vineyard are composed of volcanic slate and sand, which impart the distinctive mineral and graphite flavors that is the signature of Priorat’s terroir. Priorat’s soils are poor in nutrients and have a lower pH, which results in brighter, fresher wines. One of Priorat’s distinctive characters combines a cool climate’s acidity with a warm climate’s ripe tannins. If wine is “liquid geography,” Priorat is a great example of how a region’s vineyards are manifested in its wines. For climate, from April-October, the average temperature is 68°F. Cool nights contribute generous aromas, vibrant freshness, acidity and assertively expressive fruit in the wine.
Tasting notes:
La Cartuja, offers up a reticent nose of graphite, spice box, underbrush, lavender, black cherry, and plum. This leads to a plush, sweetly fruited, concentrated, mouth-filling wine for drinking over the next 5-6 years. It is an amazing value and a great introduction to Priorat.
Alcohol Content:
14.5%
UPC Code:
810411013816
