2014 Josep-Maria Vendrell, Seré, Montsant Spain.
The 80% Garnacha, 20% Cariñena young vine Seré is an all organic red from Josep-Maria Vendrell, a small artisan producer in Marca, he does almost everything himself on this tiny estate, and the hand-crafted excellence shows through. This 2014 is a superb effort, tasting like Gigondas, though with a Spanish flare, it is very pure and offers much more teruño or terroir complexity than you’d normally expect from a wine of this price or from this region, Josep-Maria is going down his own path, instead of making the ultra ripe oaky wines that have been so internationally popular in the recent decade, his wines offer more nuance and feel more natural, more like the changes we’ve admired at Joan d’Anguera, also from Montsant. The 2014 Seré starts with juicy red berry, spice and floral notes leading to a medium full, dark garnet with purple edges wine that expresses raspberry, plum and pomegranate on the palate along with pepper, lavender oil, dusty stones, minty anise, kirsch, black currant jam and soft cedar. This wine has subtle richness and wonderful balance with pleasing opulence and contrasting savory tones, drink now and often!
($13 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive
