D'Iatra is the Gratallops Vi de Vila (Town Wine) made by the Ripoll family's Cal Batllet, a winery which has made a clear commitment to terroir wine and to a sustainable viticulture that allows expression of the soils' singularity. To reinforce that identity, in 2009 the winery decided to go one step further in its support for terroir wine and began to produce its earlier Closa Batllet and Petit Batllet as 'Vins de Vila'.
The Gratallops sub-zone is characterised by a warmth that is generally a few degrees higher than that of the other sub-zones. That's why what most surprised us to start off with when tasting this wine was its great freshness and how easy it was to drink. A suggestion: decant it and don't be alarmed when you see its high alcohol content, as you won't notice it, though you ought to bear it in mind before finishing the bottle, as it is so easily drinkable!
It has the innocence, liveliness and vigour of the young chap on the label, the little Artai. It's a wine full of fruit, cherries, plums, blackberries..., ripe fruits with a hint of liquorice enveloped in a tremendous, and surprising, freshness. The sweetness of the fruit and some chocolatey notes prove perfectly balanced and accompanied by mild menthol notes and some very obvious balsamic touches; there is minerality from certain typically Priorat earthy notes, abounding especially on the palate, and not lacking too are the warm notes of dry herbs from the countryside surrounding the vineyards; the smell is like taking a breath of fresh mountain air.
On the palate, Artai is pleasant, fresh, with very obvious acidity, and fruit-forward, with certainly black fruit, blackberries, and the warmth again in the background. It is a polished Priorat, very well-made, with sinew but with balance too. It is fairly immediate, yet we would recommend decanting it to release all its energy.
What does this wine taste like?
View
Picota cherry red / Opaque / Violet rim
Bouquet
Aromatic / Complex / Ripe black fruit / Red fruit jam / Balsamic aromas / Mineral
It is a Very harmonic priorat with a very powerful and spicy palate. Nice and not too heavy tannins with a good balance to the fruit.
by: Pipster (14/01/2018) - Vintage 2013
0
Full bodied red wine
We first tasted this wine on holiday in Barcelona. We liked it so much we now buy a case or two from Vinissimus occasionally.
by: Frederick Bamber (15 Nov) - Vintage 2018
0
Powerful
This is wine not for the faint hearted, coming in @ 16.5 % and needs to be drunk with food. Be bold and try it👍🍷
by: Christopher Pugh (18/09/2021) - Vintage 2015
0
Lovely
Really good, strong red. Would definitely buy again.
by: Hines (17/03/2022) - Vintage 2016
1
Hervorragend!
Ein hervorragender Wein: vollmundig, schön eingebettete, leichte Säure, intensiv im Geschmack nach Pflaumen, dunklen Beeren und Zimt, mit leichten Vanillenoten und einem wunderbaren Abgang. Rundum gelungen und noch immer jedes Mal ein Hochgenuss.
Special offer available for a minimum purchase of £99. Discount voucher valid for four weeks from issue date. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotions except for the free delivery special offer.