Merum Priorati - Priorat Desti 2020
Tasting notes
Intense dark-cherry red in colour with a garnet rim. Complex on the nose with aromatic notes of red fruit, especially raspberries and redcurrants, spicy tones and a backdrop of cassis. It gives a balsamic taste across the palate, with hints of sloe and pomegranate. Elegant and silky, it is well balanced with sweet, rounded tannins that lead to a smooth, lingering finish. The perfect match for wood-fired roasted turbot with potato gratin, cured ham, also ideal for accompanying grilled red meats.
Estate
Merum Priorati is one of the most important wine estates in Priorat. As this is one of the wildest, rugged terrains where few vines thrive and those that do produce very small yields. The wines of Merum Priorati are consistently highly rated and among the finest in the region. They were awarded the #4 selection in Wine Spectator’s Top 10 Wines of 2021 for their exceptional 95 Point Destí from the 2018 vintage. The estate only produces three expressions: El Cel, Inici & Destí. Each delivers intense and serious complexity against a backdrop of bright and vibrant modern fruit. These special wines are only available in limited quantities.
Technical data
Ages of vines 13–20 years
Yield 3,800 kg/ha
Bottles produced 10,500 bottles
Alcohol content 15.5% vol
Total acidity (tartaric acid) 5.7 g/L
Residual sugar 0.5 g/L
Winemaker: Roger Oferill
Yield 3,800 kg/ha
Bottles produced 10,500 bottles
Alcohol content 15.5% vol
Total acidity (tartaric acid) 5.7 g/L
Residual sugar 0.5 g/L
Winemaker: Roger Oferill
Vinification
All the harvested grapes are destemmed, led to macerate and fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless-steel vats. After three weeks with manual pumping over, grapes are gently pressed using a pneumatic horizontal press and are devatted by gravity. Once pressed, the wine is transferred to 500 l medium toast barrels, new and of second use. After malolactic fermentation, the wine ages for 18 months in the same barrels, after which it is blended and bottled. DESTÍ is neither filtered nor fined and evolves in bottle for a long period of time before being released from the winery.
