I was captivated by the aromatic, floral, delicate and ethereal 2018 Masdeu de Scala Dei, the highest-altitude vineyard on clay and limestone soils that more closely resembles some places in Montsant than the majority of Priorat. This has the freshness and sapidity from the chalky soils, the high altitude and the cooler year. This is an energetic Garnacha infusion that is complex and deep with plenty of nuance, violets, blood orange, wild herbs and wet chalk. It's nicely textured with a fine thread, fine tannins and a dry, long, clean and tasty finish. Superb!

I love the elegant and floral nose of the 2017 Masdeu de Scala Dei and the vibrant palate of this pure high-altitude Garnacha that has more in common with the best wines from the neighboring Montsant than with the majority of Garnacha on llicorella and lower-altitude soils from the rest of the Priorat. The highest point of this terraced vineyard reaches 800 meters in altitude, and some parts are red with clay and iron, while some parts are so white that they can remind you of the vineyards of Jerez. Curiously enough, I noticed a note of iron on the nose, intermixed with violets, red and blue fruit and tons of thyme and rosemary. It's fragrant, open, expressive, complex and elegant. The grapes were picked the third week of October, extremely late for a very early harvest in the region. The full clusters fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, and the wine matured exclusively in concrete for 18 months. There is a sense of harmony and purity that I like very much. Superb wine with freshness for a year like 2017. 2,532 bottles and 100 magnums were filled in June 2019.

The aromatic, expressive, open, floral and elegant 2016 Masdeu de Scala Dei is simply superb. It has impressive, complex aromatics that are very pure, elegant and nuanced, including decayed violets, blood orange peel, watermelon, rose hip and a stony sensation, which is more evident in the dryness of the palate. The tannins are refined and very chalky on the palate, giving it an almost salty touch, a dry and long finish and a clean, fresh sensation when you swallow. Because even while tasting, I had to swallow. Brilliant! 2,843 bottles and 100 magnums were filled in June 2018.

I loved the musky and spicy nose of the single-vineyard 2014 Masdeu de Scala Dei. Produced from one of their oldest vineyards (planted in 1945), it is pure Garnacha from a cool vintage that resulted in fine and fresh wines. This is their highest vineyard, at 800 meters in altitude, on clay and limestone soils. It fermented with full clusters in concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured exclusively in concrete for 19 months. There are plenty of notes of Mediterranean herbs, which make it very aromatic and expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with a lively and fresh personality, fine-grained, chalky tannins and a dry finish that is almost salty and makes you salivate. This is a superb showing for this vineyard. 2,600 bottles and 150 magnums were filled in May 2016.

The 2012 Masdeu is pure Garnacha from their higher-altitude vineyard at 800 meters. Masdeu is an east-facing, terraced vineyard planted some 55 years ago, and has a high component of chalk in the subsoil. The Mediterranean forest surrounding the vineyards clearly adds aromatic components to the wines. This is the only vineyard that can take the heat of vintages like 2011 and the only single-vineyard red they produced from that vintage. 2012 is more subtle than the 2011 (which I retasted next to this and was still standing and showed fresher than any other Priorat from that torrid vintage) and more restrained than the 2013. It opens to black and red cherries, Mediterranean herbs, hints of truffles, roasted meat and forest floor on the nose. The palate is medium to full-bodied with very good acidity, abundant, fine-grained tannins and a chalky, mineral sensation that sticks to your teeth. Some of the bottles might feel a bit reductive and take time to show the bright fruit and high chalkiness. Open and decant in advance if you have the chance. This is an elegant Priorat built for the long haul. Around 1,200 bottles and 250 magnums produced. I tasted the 2013, which shows extremely promising, more floral and less earthy, all blueberries and violets, and will be slightly different, as there part of the wine is aged in amphorae, part in cement and part in foudre whereas this 2012 was all aged in one single oak foudre.