The 2009 Vall Llach is a blend of 50% Carinena, 25% Merlot, 10% Garnacha and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon from 110-year-old vines aged entirely in new French oak. It has a ripe, decadent bouquet of liquorice, kirsch and star anise with good delineation considering the vintage. The palate shows much better balance and control than the Dous de Vall Llach with ripe, liquorice-tinged dark fruit, fruitcake, date and spices, the finish composed and focused. While I have criticized Vall Lloch for over-ripeness in the past, this is very well-made and demonstrates focus and cohesion. Drink 2015-2025+ Founded in Porerra in the early 1990s by Lluis Llach and Enric Costa, Vall Llach introduced their first vintage in 2000. Their vineyards include some old vine Carinena and Garnacha between 60 and 90 years of age, which are complemented by outsourced fruit. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Importers, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 256-2700; www.foliowines.com

The flagship 2008 Vall LLach is a blend of 65% Carinena, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 17% Merlot aged for 14 months in new French oak. Purple/black in color with a distinguished bouquet of mineral, damp earth, espresso, Asian spices, lavender, underbrush, black cherry, and plum, on the palate it is full-bodied dense, succulent, and brooding. It conceals enough structure to evolve for 6-8 years and will hit its stride between 2015 and 2033. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Importers, Napa, CA; www.foliowine.com

The flagship 2007 Vall-Llach is 70% Carinena, 15% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new French oak for 14 months. Much of the Carinena is from estate vines over 100 years of age. It reveals an already complex perfume of fresh herbs, underbrush, slate, incense, and brooding black fruits that soars from the glass. Considerably more structured than its siblings, it has the stuffing to evolve for 8-10 years. Savory, plush, and built for pleasure, it will reward extended cellaring and deliver prime drinking from 2018 to 2035. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; www.foliowine.com

The flagship 2007 Vall-Llach is 70% Carinena, 15% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new French oak for 14 months. Much of the Carinena is from estate vines over 100 years of age. It reveals an already complex perfume of fresh herbs, underbrush, slate, incense, and brooding black fruits that soars from the glass. Considerably more structured than its siblings, it has the stuffing to evolve for 8-10 years. Savory, plush, and built for pleasure, it will reward extended cellaring and deliver prime drinking from 2018 to 2035. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; www.foliowine.com

The 2006 Vall-Llach is 65% Carinena, 20% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 14 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple in color, the nose offers up pain grille, liquid mineral, scorched earth, herbs, incense, and assorted black fruits. Layered, dense, and still a bit ungiving, this powerful, full-bodied wine has gobs of succulent fruit in reserve, plenty of ripe tannin, and a lengthy finish. Allow 6-8 years of additional cellaring and drink it from 2016 to 2030. Vall-Llach was founded in 1992 by the famous Catalan singer Lluis Llach. Importer: Folio Fine Wine Partners, Napa, CA; www.foliowine.com