The 1974 Gran Reserva Cartoixa, 80-85% Garnacha and the rest Cari?ena, is reminiscent of a 40-year-old Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with aromas of meat broth, truffles, mushrooms, forest floor and damp earth. It's quite evolved and shows more ripeness than any of the other vintages. It feels quite Mediterranean with garrigue, even some eucalyptus notes, and has a light-bodied palate with good acidity; it is longer rather than round as the acid holds the sharpness. It is a historical wine (yes, the appellation was only created that year) and Scala Dei was the only working winery there at the time. Masía Barril followed soon. The Scala Dei was clearly Garnacha-based, is fully mature by now and shows polished tannins and heady flavors of cherries in liqueur, ripe and warm. It is considerably rounder and more Mediterranean than the Rioja. The good news is that the winery, after some ups and downs, seems to be back at the top producing profound and true-to-their-roots wines from their high-altitude, old-vine Garnacha vineyards on chalk-rich soils.