2015 Celler Piñol ‘Nuestra Señora del Portal’ Red Blend Terra Alta Do Catalunya Spain

WSI93+ VIN91 Ruby-red. Vibrant blackberry, potpourri and peppery spice scents are complemented by suggestions of candied licorice and smoky minerals. Concentrated black and blue fruit flavors show very good clarity and a touch of sweet floral pastilles. Silky, slow-building tannins add shape and grip to the long, sweet finish, which leaves a note of dark fruit liqueur behind.-
This wine is made by the fourth generation of the Piñol family. Less than 3,500 cases are produced for the world. Made from vines that are traditionally head pruned, dry farmed (no irrigation), and grown in clay soil. The vineyards are located within Batea, a town at 356 m (1,168 ft) elevation, 65 meters (213 ft.) higher than the village of Gratallops, situated at 291 meters (954 ft.) elevation, in the neighboring wine region of Priorat. 50% Garnacha, 20% Carignan, 10% Merlot, 10% Syrah, 10% Tempranillo. Vines planted in 1987. Tended in calcareous clay soil at 356 m (1,168 ft) elevation

This is grown in the region of Terra Alta, located south of Barcelona.  The Piñol family has been tending these vines for four generations. The story of Cellar Vinos Piñol mirrors the ascendance of Spanish wines in world markets over the past ten years, a story of how a reverence for old, treasured vineyards and the best family traditions have been combined with new winemaking methods to make the finest wines possible. 

Similar to Yecla and Vinos de Madrid, Terra Alta is one of Spain’s up-and-coming wine regions with an identity built on exciting projects and progressive innovation. Juanjo G. Piñol and Toni Coca are the winemakers. Juanjo’s mother Josefina remains in charge of the family cellar.

Portal is an estate-bottled wine made by Celler Vinos Piñol with grapes grown in the region of Terra Alta, located south of Barcelona. This small-production cuvée’s pure and precise flavors make it a compelling wine value. 
Terra Alta’s high elevation vineyards coupled with Piñol’s viticulture produces a wine that clearly communicates the spicy, mineral character of this rewarding region, relatively unknown until now