Pasanau Ceps Nous Priorat 2002

“Oh my, this is good wine, and handsome, too” uttered one female member of the tasting panel to a chorus of bobbing heads. Indeed, the youthful, deeply colored 2002 Pasanau Ceps Nous Priorat is one fine specimen of a wine, and it tastes good, too. Redolent with the scents of black cherry and forest woodlands, the 2002 Ceps Nous intrigues with its comely aroma as well as its wealth of rustic, deep down flavors. Moreover, the Ceps Nous is rich in fruit; it is also balanced and sophisticated. At first, it is hard to believe just how much flavor the Ceps Nous packs into its sturdy, medium-bodied frame, but oh …. how it does! A blend of 44% Garnacha (Grenache), 30% Merlot, 20% Mazuelo, and 6% Syrah, this young vines Priorat doesn’t need to grow up; we like it just the way it is. Already, it accentuates all the best qualities of its respective components and blends them into one beautiful harmonious statement. From the looks and tastes of this wine, it’s no wonder Priorat is now considered to be Spain’s most exciting wine region. Enjoy this palate popping wine, with or without extended breathing time, but for optimum enjoyment do allow it at least 15 minutes aeration in the glass before consuming.

Invariably, food and wine enhance each other, but wine as pure and extroverted as the 2002 Pasanau Ceps Nous demands at least on occasion the opportunity to stand firmly on its own. Having said this, the 2002 Ceps Nous is a delight to drink with or without food. If brought to table, we suggest it be served with simple, artfully prepared meals or the finest cuts of beef, lamb, pork, or free range poultry. Traditional Spanish fare marries well to the Ceps Nous as do many regional Italian favorites such as Chicken with Capers and Olives, Three Cheese Soft Polenta, and Crepes with Porcini Mushrooms. Enjoy!

During the past decade, the Pasanau family and their beloved Priorat have achieved international fame. Currently, Priorat is Spain’s most glamorous wine producing region, fashioning more than just a hand full of sensational wines. At the forefront of this viticultural revival has been the Pasanau family. Pasanau commands the high ground in Priorat, literally and figuratively. At over 2, 400 feet, Pasanau’s Finca La Planeta, which is devoted entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon, dominates Priorat’s arid, landscape. Planted on gravely scree and slate, this 12.5-acre vineyard yields, perhaps, the most intense of all Priorat wines. In addition to Finca La Planeta, the Pasanau estate includes equally impressive parcels of ancient, ungrafted Garnacha and Mazuelo vines, which are crafted into La Morera – a traditional Priorat style of wine. More recently, Pasanau released Ceps Nous, another delicious red Priorat, comprised primarily of the estate’s traditional Garnacha (Grenache) and Mazuelo, along with a healthy dollop Merlot and Syrah from young vines. Small amounts of excellent Viognier are also crafted at this great property. Working out of a small modern bodega that was completed in 1995, Pasanau fashions some of Spain’s most compelling wines. Here, grapes are routinely picked quite late, often not until late October, in order to extract the greatest intensity from each low yielding vine. All tanks are gravity fed and racking and fining are done only during a full moon using all natural ingredients, which says a little something about this estate’s commitment to excellence as well as tradition.