Bocins, Finca Tobella, Priorat, Spain (bottle price £24)
Shiver me timbers we think this is awesome.
The viticulture practice is organic, although not certified. No pesticides, herbicides or non-organic fertilisers are used. Grapes are harvested by hand then 70% of the grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks, at low temperature. 30% of the wine (all Garnacha,) is fermented in new French oak barrels then aged on the lees for 6 months.
The two wines are blended immediately before bottling. There is a richness from spending time in oak and on its yeast cells but it just sits in the background complimenting the ripe fruit flavours. A special wine that shows the power of Priorat.