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Technical sheet:

Winery: Mervm Priorati (Pere Ventura)

D.O.Ca. Priorat

Vintage: 2020

Variety: 30% Black Grenache, 15% Carignan, 30% Syrah, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol content: 15.5% vol.

Tasting notes:

El Cel 2020 is an exclusive, limited, and select wine; a wine with a long journey, integrity, intense expression, and a character that evolves over time. The first impression, on the nose, is provided by the aroma of blueberries, black fruit, and the essence of the Mediterranean countryside. On the second sniff, the aromatic display of El Cel 2020 is incessant: The smell of fine pastry mixes with elongated butter slices on freshly baked bread and toast that we used to eat as children; we also sense the sweet scent that this slate land gives off after the rain or at sunset. El Cel 2020 also takes us on a journey through indescribable aromas to evoke memories lived on our own land and under our particular sky. In the mouth, El Cel 2020 is full-bodied, structured, mineral, with well-integrated aging notes in wood. Here we will appreciate the taste of forest berries, blackberries, and plums; as well as the flavors of chocolate, smoked, and toasted that the wine has acquired during its evolution in the barrel. Once poured, the deep red of El Cel 2020 reflects, as it has the reverberation of all the colors of the land, the pulsation of the blood, and is a reflection of a sky, now changing, now stable.

Serving temperature: 16º C

Geology and Soil:

Of llicorell; rocky and very poor in organic matter, so the vines have low vigor and offer low yields. The mother rock is laminated, which forces the vine to develop its roots up to 15 meters. Both factors contribute to creating an ideal environment to withstand summer stress and achieve a progressive and perfect grape ripening.

Harvest:

The 2020 vintage was characterized by a very rainy spring and a dry and warm summer and autumn. The production of Grenache was irregular due to pollination difficulties. The hailstorm in June did not have significant effects. The harvest was very healthy and stood out for its quality.

Pairing:

A wine as exquisite and full-bodied as El Cel 2020 makes Made in Spain Gourmet recommend pairing it with dishes such as hare confit in herb and vegetable escabeche, suckling pig terrine, or venison loin with pomegranate sauce. In any scenario, El Cel always lightens the fatty content and enhances the pleasures. Among our cheeses, the aged goat and sheep reserves are preferred for this pairing, as well as the special Tormentoso from Quesos Calaveruela. Sublime.

Production:

Manual harvest collected in 20 kg boxes. 100% of the harvest is destemmed. Fermentation/maceration at controlled temperature and carried out in stainless steel tanks. After three weeks, a gentle pressing is carried out through a pneumatic horizontal press. Once pressed, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels of 225 l, where malolactic fermentation takes place. After aging for 14 to 18 months in oak barrels, the wine is blended and bottled. El Cel 2020 is neither filtered nor clarified.

Vintage 2020: extraordinary

At Mervm Priorati, they work hard every day to guarantee the quality standards of their wines. They accept extreme climatic conditions and endure the adversities of heroic viticulture that shape the character of the land. They work exclusively with grapes from their own vineyards: origin is the only way to guarantee wines of the highest quality. The result of all this is a very limited production marked by the terroir.

The 2020 vintage was rated as Excellent for its quality and the health of the grapes. However, the abundant rain in the vineyard and the excess humidity combined with excessively warm temperatures created the perfect environment for the development of one of the most devastating fungal diseases: mildew. In Mervm Priorati, it affected the flowering stage and, as a result, a significant portion of the vines did not yield fruit.