Cellers de SCALA DEI Prior Priorat - D.O.C.
Description
- Vintage: 2016
- Origin: Catalunya, Spain
- Taste Guide: Full bodied & oaked; a deep, brilliant ruby red colour with garnet and bluish hues on the rim. Intense lingering aromas of red and black fruit, wild strawberries, blackberries, floral notes of violet intermingled with subtle spicy and toasty hints.
- 75cl - 14.5% - Traditional Cork Closure
- Food friend: Roasted lamb, Chocolate, Iberian ham, Game birds, Cold meat, Grilled red meats.
- Varietal Blend: 60% Grenache/Garnacha, 20% Carignan, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
- £19.99 per bottle originally in Waitrose, just £16.99 here, only a 14-bottle parcel sourced.
- Vivino link: popular wine and a good score.
The Scala Dei Wineries have strong ties with the wine history of the area. It is in these slate soils where the monks from the Scala Dei monastery delimited eight centuries ago the land of what today is known as the DOC Priorat. A remarkable winery dating back to the 12th Century, and surrounding the most distinctive “terroir” in Spain, Scala Dei (Latin for “Ladder of God”) produces wines of exceptional flavour and depth. Wines from Scala Dei are among the most critically acclaimed from the region. The name of our winery draws on a history and legacy that lead us to encounter an ancient tradition. Proud of it, we worship to this earth, carefully tending to our vineyards, in order to create wines with unique personality.
This wine is full bodied with finesse and a silky mid-palate. Ripe and elegant tannins are overlain with mineral aromas from the limestone soil.
More reading:
The history and origin of Scala Dei date back to 1194. It makes it one of the oldest wineries in the DOQ of Priorat in Spain. It existed when the Carthusian monks took action and decided to establish themselves in the Scala Dei village in the Tarragona village.
As the living wine legend of the region, Scala Dei receives immense recognition and interest throughout the year from people all across the globe. In recent times, the descendants of the families that established the winery work in the ancient fields. The first bottling of wines got done in 1878 under the Priorat de Scala Dei name. It led to the assertion of the terroir and origin, making the winery’s presence more prominent. This eminence and fame became even more distinctive when the wines produced by Scala Dei participated and got displayed in the Universal Exhibition that took place in Paris in 1878 itself. Here, they acquired a gold medal owing to their personality and high quality.
In recent times, Scala Dei retains and implements the same conventional teachings, spirit, and practices that originated from its establishment. Thus, the scale and scope of the winery can capture its long-standing legacy and antiquity of the Mediterranean climate and rough terrain. It allows it to produce and distribute unique and authentic wines that can represent and express the true essence of its terroir.
Scala Dei works with the philosophy and belief that the wines get borne from the vineyards. Hence, the winery gives its very best to ensure the quality and top condition of the fields. They advocate and incorporate sustainable viticultural practices while expressing deep respect for the land and soil. Scala Dei uses organic methods and prevents the application of pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals. It enhances the natural aspect of the vineyards.