This savory, expressive white delivers dried pear, beeswax, tarragon and ginger flavors, with a thick, polished texture and just enough acidity to keep this balanced. A bit heavy. Garnatxa Blanca, Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Moscatel de Alexandria. Drink now. 150 cases made, 45 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Priorat Select to Add

The 2010 Kyrie that blends different white grapes, including some Moscatel, has an oxidative character with notes of burnt sugar, star anise, beeswax, pollen and quince. The palate seems to confirm that there was some skin contact as the wine seems almost tannic and slightly spirity. 3,000 bottles were produced. Drink 2014-2020. Importer: Obac Imports, Oakland, CA; tel. (650) 332-4740

The 2009 Kyrie is a blend of 35% Garnacha Blanca, 30% Macabeo, 30% Xarello and 5% Moscatel, raised entirely in new oak for six or seven months. It has an intriguing bouquet of honeysuckle, jasmine and chalk dust, all with fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with a waxy textured entry, resin flavours instead of fruit, touches of fresh ginger, dried apricot and a hint of lemongrass leading to a weighty, almost Southern Rhone-like finish that is dry and nicely focused. Drink now-2016+. Carles Pastrana was one of the pioneers of Priorat’s renaissance in the 1980s, when viticulture hung by a 700-hectare thread. Alongside Alvaro Palacios and Rene Barbier, Pastrana bottled his first vintage in 1989. His aim is to express the terroir in accordance with the vintage, to reflect its vagaries by always using the same blend of grape varieties year after year, while all his wines are unfiltered. The flagship Clos de l’Obac is one of Priorat’s longest serving wines although I somehow felt that the Bordeaux grape varieties did not quite “gel” with the Rhone. Importer: Vinea Imports, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 313-4994; Mono Verde Imports; www.monoverdeimports.com; and Obac Imports; no telephone number available.

This smoky white exhibits toasted almond, baked pear and beeswax flavors in a thick texture. Though a bit austere, this offers a nice mix of rich and tart. Drink now. 300 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Priorat Select to Add

This wine costs a lot for what it’s giving. The nose starts out hard and fruitless, and while the aromas come around, the wine always holds onto its corn and haystack character. Zippy acidity gives the mouth zest, and it also livens up papaya, banana and apricot flavors. Complex and different, but does it taste good enough to justify a $78 price tag? ——M.S.(4/1/2011)—— 88