Black Slate Priorat Vilella Alta Vi De La Vila

Black Slate La Vilella Alta is produced under a joint project of Damia del Castillo Blaise, Michel Tardieu and Philippe Cambie. It is a blend of 50% Garnacha , 30% Carineyna and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon grown on licorella and clay limestone soils. It displays a spicy ripe nose with rich and flavorful boysenberry, black raspberry, and minerals. Fermented in tank and aged in French oak barrels, 30% new, it is silky on the attack with a firm structure, good acidity, and a rich ripe finish. Black Slate is built upon the Vi de la Vila designation established by the DOQ in 2009. While there is a greater homogeneity of terroir in Priorat than in Burgundy, its rugged landscape and the varying orientations of vineyard sites allow for a wide range of micro-variations. Unlike the mono-varietal makeup of the Côte d’Or, in the Priorat there is a wider range of varieties permitted, allowing growers to take advantage of minor differences in micro-climate and terroir.