Vall del Calas

Tasting note:

Deep red colour; Complex aromas of ripe dark fruit, wild herbs and berries; very spicy; some vanilla, dark exotic fruit flavour nuances; intensive and concentrated; complex but still elegant; perfectly balanced with nicely vibrant acidity; elegant Glycerin sweetness; serious ripe tannin structure

Food pairing: 

Braised veal shank, Game, rabbit, crispy duck, partridge, BBQ, stew, marinated baby porc back ribs

Grape varieties: 

65% Merlot
30% Garnacha
- Garnacha del Pais (catalan, indigenous clone)
- Garnacha Peluda („hairy“ leaves; imported from Southern France after Phylloxera
5% Tempranillo

temperature controlled fermentation (27-29ºC; indegenous yeast)
mazeration time: 15-25 days; all three varieties were vinified separately
malo-lactic fermentation started in tank and finished in barrel
no finning
not cold stabilized, light filtration

13 month aged in new to two years old French oak barrels (228l);
light and medium toasted
no racking
after blending aged for 6 months in tank before bottling

up to 15 years old high altitude (1800 feet)  Merlot vines
plus 40 to 85 years old Garnacha vines
25 years old Tempranillo
soil: clay, granit; Muschelkalk, several plots of slate
slopes and old granite terraces
prunning:
- Garnacha: traditional bush vines;
- Merlot, Tempranillo: on „Wire“

by hand, in 20kg boxes, hand sorted „on the table“
Merlot, at the high altitude valley of „Calas“, becomes the latest ripening variety in Capçanes which gives an unknown almost masculin Merlot style with some serious tannin structure; at 1600-1800feet it is picked at Mid/End of octobre offering a very long vegetation cycle.
yield: 
- 750 to 1200g  per vine
- 30-45hl/ha

14  % vol. Alcohol
5,5 g/l acidity (tartaric)
<3 g/l residual sugar

9.500 bottles (75cl.)

“The Wine Advocate”, Robert Parker, USA:

  • "Vall del Calas 2009”:  90 p “…a layered, succulent wine with loads of spicy fruit, a firm structure, and a lengthy, pure finish”
  • "Vall del Calas 2007”:  90 p
  • "Vall del Calas 2004”:  90 p
  • "Vall del Calas 2001”:  93 p “…A super bargain, the dense ruby/purple color …offers lovely aromas of crème de cassis, melted licorice, crushed rocks, pepper and spice. It possesses superb fruit, an opulent texture, medium to full body, beautiful purity, and an alluring multidimensional mouthfeel…”
  • "Vall del Calas 1998”:  90 p

”International Wine Cellar”, Stephen Tanzer, USA

  • “Vall del Calas´98”: 89 p

Wine-guide “Mondo-Weine der Welt”, Germany:

  • Vall del Calas´02”: 90 p
  • Vall del Calas´01”: 91 p
  • Vall del Calas´00”: 90-91 p
  • Vall del Calas´99”: 89 p

Wine Guide “Andres Proensa”, Spain:

  • “Vall del Calas´02”: 93P
  • “Vall del Calas´01”: 89P

Wine Guide “Guia de Vinos Gourmets”, Spain:
“Vall del Calas´99”: 8/10 p

Wine Magazine“Perswijn”, Netherlands:

  • ”Vall del Calas´03”: 15 p
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