The 2008 Clos Batllet is a blend of 65% Carinena, 22% Garnacha, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 2% Syrah aged for 15 months in French and American oak. It has a more red fruit profile than the Artai, with raspberry, minerals and a touch of rose petal. The palate is medium-bodied, with the Carinena defining its earthy personality and delivering great tension and balance. It possesses lovely balance on the suave finish, which is very finely tuned. Yet you come away feeling that it will offer more with continued bottle age. This impressive wine offers great value. Drink 2015-2022. Cellers Ripoll Sans was established in 2000, after the restoration of the old family winery in Gratallops. Their 10 hectares of vine includes 90-year-old vines on a steep hillside, once the source for Alvaro Palacios’s Gratallops cuvee. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565