Gratavinum 2PR 2016

BIO/Organic wine

Ideally drink now through 2030. Decant for 2 hours prior to drinking

A side project of the Cusine family, owners of Pares Balta, is Gratavinum Winery. Located in Priorat, a dry and harsh region in Spain, the winery creates wines blended from local varieties Carignan and Grenache along with international varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, both well suited to the slate soils, dry farming, and hot climate. The 2PIR is a blend of all four of these grapes, with a deep purple color and a ruby rim. An intense, rich, and muscular wine, the nose speaks of chocolate, licorice, blackcurrant, and bramblefruit. Weighty and concentrated on the palate, there are flavors of plum, black pepper, tobacco, blackberry, and sage. Gritty tannins tell you that this wine can and should age for a long time, and will only get better and better.

Rich game meat roasts, mature cheeses, beef stews, or barbecued foods would all be a good match for and add complexity to this full-bodied and delicious Priorat.

As with all Pares Balta wines, the Gratavinum Winery line is certified organic and biodynamic. The 2PIR, named after the mathematic formula for the circumference of a circle, is supposed to have attributes likened to its name - well rounded and balanced. Dry farmed in steep, terraced vineyards in the mountains of Priorat, the 2PIR is planted in well drained slate soils that deeper down have good clay content which holds moisture and allows for deep root structure. This all adds to the complexity, richness, and structure of the 2PIR, and aging in new and one-year old French and Hungarian oak for 14 months helps to soften the massive tannins this wine often has.