Pasanau Finca La Planeta Priorat 2002

A deeply colored, brooding red wine, the 2002 Pasanau La Planeta resembles at first glance a youthful Château Lafite, one of Bordeaux's greatest wines. Initially, La Planeta's glorious robe appears impenetrable and its packed aroma coquettish, yet hesitant to reveal without commitment the breadth of its inner beauty. However, a little time will more than reward the patient imbiber. La Planeta unfolds slowly, almost imperceptibly, until a seductive bouquet of black currant, coffee, graphite, and chocolate stream from the glass. On the palate, the 2002 La Planeta is medium to full-bodied and incredibly smooth and seductive. A suave flavor profile of black fruits and coffee, laced with subtle infusions of oriental spices, emerge from this charming, sophisticated wine. A delightful combination of Bordeaux hauteur and Spanish warmth make the velvety 2002 La Planeta almost irresistible. We suggest allowing this great and unique Priorat plenty of breathing time before consuming. An hour or more in a decanter will do this layered, urbane wine justice. Enjoy!

A complex sophisticated wine such as the 2002 Pasanau La Planeta calls for foods worthy of complementing world class wine. The finest cuts of meat, a complex sauce, or simple dish made from the very freshest ingredients are the hallmark of great food and wine pairings. Consequently, we recommend just such foods with the 2002 La Planeta. Roast Leg of Tender Spring Lamb, Chateaubriand, or Loin Veal Chops, served with shitake mushrooms and an herb rice pilaf, are just a few of our favorite foods with Pasanau's La Planeta. Pan Roasted Duck Breast will do this wine justice as well. Roasted Quail, stuffed with apple-smoked bacon and mushrooms, served over a corn based risotto, makes for another tasty suggestion. Yet, it is not so much what one serves with the La Planeta that matters as much as it is the quality of the ingredients used. Pasanau's wines are complex and sophisticated, yet tender and easy to pair with accompaniments befitting its stature.

In little more than a decade, the Pasanau family and their beloved Priorat have achieved international fame. Priorat is currently Spain's most glamorous wine producing region, fashioning a splendid array of sensational wines. And at the forefront of Priorat's viticultural renaissance and the accompanying critical acclaim for the region's wines is 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 almost entirely to Cabernet Sauvignon,dominates Priorat's arid, landscape. Planted on gravely scree and slate, the 12.5-acre La Planeta vineyard yields what many have described as one of the most complex and intense of all Priorat wines. In addition to Finca La Planeta, the Pasanau estate also includes equally impressive parcels of ancient, ungrafted Garnacha and Mazuelo vines, which the family crafts into La Morera – a more traditional Priorat style of wine. And more recently, Pasanau has released Ceps Nous, a delicious light red Priorat that is comprised primarily of the estate's traditional Garnacha (Grenache) and Mazuelo, along with a healthy dollop of Merlot and Syrah from young vines. Small amounts of excellent Viognier are also crafted at this outstanding property. Working out of a small modern bodega that was completed in 1995, Pasanau fashions three of Spain's most compelling wines. Here, grapes are routinely picked very late, often not until late October, in order to extract the greatest intensity from each low yielding vine. All winery tanks are gravity fed and racking and fining are done only during a full moon, using all natural ingredients – all of which says more than a little about Pasanau's commitment to excellence as well as its debt to tradition.