Winery - Scala Dei
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Ripe, earthy and spicy, with noticeable oak. The palate is lively, packed with cherry and plum, and quite tannic. Thus the finish seems gritty and racy, bordering on raw. Give it air and food for maximum results. It’s 88% Garnacha.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Catchy aromas such as violet and exotic candle wax are encouraging, maybe a bit more so than the tangy palate, which runs toward red-apple skins and cherry. Light in the middle but tannic on the edges. Fresh and spry, but lean.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Scala Dei seems to have managed 2003’s tough conditions, and this is endowed with sweet Garnacha-driven aromas that touch up against raisiny but don’t cross the line. The palate is plump and loaded with strawberry and vanilla flavors, then chocolate shows up on the finish. The blend is 41% Garnacha, 41% Syrah and 18% Cab Sauvignon.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Sweet and raisiny, with a heavy profile as well as some unexpected aromatic sharpness. The fruit is more brambly and baked than usual, and there’s some murkiness. Not the best example of this wine, which was not oaked; it was better in previous vintages.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smooth and open, with pretty cherry, fudge and maple aromas. Rather zingy and stand-up on the palate, where big, rubbery tannins carry full-sized cherry and plum flavors. Finishes with grab and at least two waves of flavor and power. Drink through 2007. Imported by Vinum International.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Deep purple in color, with roasted, rubbery aromas of wild blackberry. Thick, lush and rich in the mouth, with mellow tannins (for a Priorat wine) and big, broad flavors of plum, blackberry and herbs. Smooth on the finish, with black tea notes and leftover oak. Has a lot going for it; drink now through 2012.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A touch of volatility accompanies opening black fruit and plum aromas, while the palate brings both a raisiny essence and austere acidity that causes tartness. For basic Priorat, this is fine. But if you’re looking for greatness, there isn’t much to speak of. Overall, it’s a good but regular wine, nothing more or less.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Full and earthy, and very oaky. But also quite solid and forceful, with delicious cola, cherry and plum flavors following in the wake of sweet berry and barrel-based aromas. Rich enough on the palate, with typical Priorat ruggedness. A commendable effort that offers plenty. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha and Syrah.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smells like Christmas, with holly and candied plum wafting from the nose. Medium-bodied, it has a plum and cherry core, with flavors just this side of tangy. Rustic tannins and barbecue-char notes round out the finish. Try with chorizo. —D.M.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
No doubt this wine possesses peppery, herbal qualities. But before it’s dismissed as green we’d like to note that there’s also a nice savory side to it. More herbal than vegetal, and with decent balance. With food this wine will do just fine; on its own it may seem a touch reedy and rough.
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