One could say that we are practicing ‘inclusion’ here. This is an exceptional wine and an amazing value that deserves serious attention. But at a time when the wine world is filled with panic selling because of a number of current pandemic/economic reasons, and there are enough wild offers to fill the airwaves for the foreseeable future, a wine like this little gem has much less of a chance of getting the attention it deserves.
First off, the name is both foreign and unfamiliar. The name Edetaria Terra Alta Via Edetana Negra doesn’t just roll off tongue. It comes from a somewhat obscure appellation called Terra Alta, south of Priorat and Monsant and arguably less highly regarded as a region. As much Spanish wine as we work with, even we don’t see a lot of stuff specifically from this appellation, and most of what we do is rustic, closed, and requires extensive aeration and patience.
The Edetaria Terra Alta Via Edetana Negra 2017 is a notable exception, the proverbial ‘needle’ in a ‘haystack’ that few people bother to even sift through. Wouldn’t it be easier for us to find someone panicked to unload a Cabernet at half price? Sure. There’s plenty of that going around these days, and we will do more than our share. But that is exactly the point. A wine like this a year ago was a stunning deal, and still holds its own even in the current tumult. Down the road, when all of this uncertainly subsides and things return to normal (however that will be defined), wines like this will still be exceptional value choices.
Joan Àngel Lliberia grew up here, studied Agricultural Engineering in Lleida and earned a Master of Science in Wine Management, whereupon he worked at several wine companies in France. He moved back to Catalunya, where he continued his career in the wine sector and later on multinational corporations. But his dream come true was to establish this winery in central Tierra Alta as an homage to his grandfather oenologist Llorens and viticulturist parents . The goal is making true terroir wines out of his family vineyards in a ‘genuine style’.
The story is relatively simple because these folks are all about the land which was already there. Winemaking in this part of Catalonia predates Roman times (the name of the winery is a reference to an old Roman road that stretched between Torotosa and Zaragoza). They keep it simple by farming organically and fermenting the grapes from the varied soil types separately, giving them 12 months in 300 liter barrels and then blending.
The blend here is 60% Garnacha Fina and Garnacha Peluda, 30% Syrah and 10% Cariñena from 20 to 40 year-old vineyards in different terroirs: The Garnachas and Syrah come from soils they call “tapàs” (silty soils with clay materials), and Carignan from ”tapàs blanc” (shallow soils with marl carbonated fragments). The unique soils really suit the Grenaches and the cool, expressive dark cherry character is the highlight of the show. The Syrah adds muscle and some blue fruits, and the Carignane dashes in some earth tones.
The wine shows great purity of fruit with the impression fluctuating between a kinder, gentler Priorat and something from the northern part of the southern Rhone. The 2017 was one of a string of excellent vintages in this part of Spain, and this wine’s layered, juicy, cool flavors and tender-but-bright demeanor deliver far beyond the sub-$20 fare. We have tasted a lot of wines from this part of the world and few are this ‘together’, clearly demonstrating the character of the region in an open, engaging way, but doing so with the polish of a serious, boutique label aimed at discriminating buyers.
James Suckling took a shine to this one as well, writing “I love the licorice accents here, which work so well with the overtones of blueberries, citrus, boysenberries and brambles. Firm and tight on the taut palate, which is medium-bodied and so lithe and restrained. Clear-cut and precise. Drink now… 94 points.”
Like we said, it would be easy for a wine like this to get lost in the shuffle of the here and now. But it would also be a shame. This is a soulful, personality-filled effort at a great price, and the kind of delicious, off-the-beaten-path find everyone needs in their life. The flash deals of today won’t last forever and this is a potential friend for the long haul. There’s also a small amount of their expressive all-Grenache Edetaria Via Terra Garnatxa Negra Terra Alta 2018 (James Suckling 92, $11.98!).