The red wines begin with the 2007 Sola Fred, a non-oaked cuvee of 90% Carinena and 10% Garnacha. Dark ruby-colored, it has an excellent nose of violets, black cherry, and earth notes. Supple and forward on the palate, it has serious depth of flavor, excellent balance, and a long, fruity finish. This hedonistic effort is a great value for drinking over the next 2-3 years. There are up to 8000 cases available for the USA market.
Celler El Masroig, located in the up-and-coming region of Montsant, is a role model for how a cooperative ought to function. The winery keeps only the best grapes and sells off the rest to other producers, some of whom are quite well known. The wines are very good from the top to the bottom of the portfolio.
Importer: Bryce McNamee, Boutique Wine Collection, Philadelphia, PA; www.boutiquewines.info