Wild Wine of the Week

2005 La Panella
Montstant
$20 (and worth it)
Purchased at Vintage Berkeley

A blockbuster blend—this would have been interesting to submit as a ringer at the ZAP tasting (see last week’s blurb below). Thick and concentrated with a lively transition on the palate from cranberry-->blackberry-->blueberry, and a herbal tea infusion of spearmint, star anise, and bay leaf complementing the red fruit compote. There is a hint of toasted almond skin tannin on the finish, promising some vitality ahead. Stand back and let this one breathe.

Joan d’Anguera’s La Panella is “a family-run winery whose origins date back 200 years,” in the Denomination of Origin (DO) of Montsant in Catalonia which about five years ago received its own distinction as a subzone from the Tarragona DO. The grapes are grown in clay, gravel, and calcareous (calcium-rich) soil. The blend is 40% Mazuelo (Carignan Noir), a popular blending grape in Rioja, providing structure and longevity, with 20% Syrah, 20%, Grenache and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was aged eight months in French and American Oak and imported by De Maison Selections (out of Chapel Hill, NC), www.demaisonselections.com.

Such a compelling quaff now, yet it would be even more interesting with some bottle age. I look forward to experiencing the dazzling heights that this wine could attain.