Wow! $10 is the full retail, so I suspect readers may be able to purchase this beauty for a discounted price of $8-$9 a bottle. Made from vines planted in 1915, the 2013 Garnacha Negra comes from the village of Batea, where wine has been made since the 15th century. Eric Solomon partnered with Spaniard Nuria Altes to produce this remarkable, cool-climate, high-altitude Grenache with a Pinot Noir-like personality. Abundant notes of cranberries, red cherries, black currants and hints of forest floor and damp earth are followed by a medium-bodied wine with terrific fruit intensity and richness that can only be the result of these old vines. The wine also possesses a freshness, vibrancy and exuberance that are stunningly impressive. Drink it over the next 1-2 years.
Importer: European Cellars - Eric Solomon Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565; www.europeancellars.com