The 2003 Absis is 61% Tempranillo with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Purple-colored, it delivers a bouquet of toasty oak, mineral, leather, blackberry, and black currant. This is followed by a full-bodied wine that is firm but well-balanced. It requires a minimum of 4-6 years in the cellar and should be at its best from 2012-2025. Pares Balta is one of a number of wineries in Penedes with serious aspirations. It produces a wide range of wines from Cava to Rose to stratospherically priced red wines. While Pares Balta appears to be a work in progress, it is clear that their intention is to produce world-class wines. While Pares Balta makes many different Cavas, the importer only brings in their two top-of-the-line sparkling wines. Several of Pares Balta’s red wines could not be recommended and the best of the rest possess a certain rusticity that belies their lofty price tags. Importer: Bryce McNamee, Boutique Wine Collection, Philadelphia, PA; www.boutiquewines.info