Dense with ripe prune and licorice flavors, it's jammy and lush until the muscular tannins kick in on the finish. This will appeal to fans of Amarone or late-harvest Zinfandel. Drink now or hold and hope for smoother sailing. Improves with decanting. 3,500 cases made.??–TM??Region: Spain / Priorat Select to Add

The finest wine among the three new releases from this estate is the 1987 Gran Reserva Cartoixa. Its dark ruby color with a touch of garnet and excellent nose of roasted herbs, black-cherries, meat, and smoke are followed by a concentrated, full-bodied wine with layers of flavor, plenty of glycerin, a chewy texture, low acidity, and a forceful, rich, provocative finish. Although the alcohol level is high, it is well-concealed by the wine's jammy fruit. Already delicious, it should age well for a decade. This Grenache-based wine has consistently placed well in my tastings. It is a rich, peppery, medium to full-bodied, supple, mouthfilling, satisfying wine. Readers should think of it as Spain's answer to Chateauneuf du Pape. Importer: Europvin, USA, Watertown, MA; tel. (617) 924-7620

The 1982 Gran Reserva Cartoixa has a slightly rounder and creamier profile, like the barriques that started to arrive in Priorat. It has a different texture, sleek, with a more commercial profile (perhaps the destemmed had also arrived) and a palate that shows a little less concentration. Still, it is pretty impressive.

Full-bodied and well-structured, this rich wine has enough ripe plum, prune and licorice flavors to balance its firm tannins. Soft enough to drink now, it still has youthful freshness and should improve. Improves with decanting. Drink now through 1997. 3,500 cases made.??–TM??Region: Spain / Priorat Select to Add

The 1978 Gran Reserva Cartoixa has an expressive, beautiful nose that is very Garnacha and very Mediterranean. It is still quite alive with balsamic aromas and quite complete with elegant rusticity. The palate is medium-bodied, showing good acidity and tannic structure on the austere profile that is common to these old vintages where full-clusters surely added some tannins.