La Cartuja

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Country of Origin: Spain
Location: Priorat
People: Patrick Mata, Borja Osborne & Alberto Orte, Owners | Miquel Pinyol, Winemaker
Viticulture: Practicing Organic

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La Cartuja 2021 Priorat DOCa (VR) Login In Stock

La Cartuja is a unique wine produced in the Priorat region, one of the most prestigious appellations in Spain. Priorat is special due to the unmistakable mineral identity that the licorella (volcanic slate) imparts in its wines. When you taste a Priorat wine, you are not only tasting a grape but also a place. The mineral flavors of the place overpower the natural flavors of the grape. La Cartuja was born in 2007 with the objective of bottling a special wine that is able to capture the mineral identity of this unique territory. A second objective with La Cartuja was to make a Priorat that is approachable while young. Lastly and perhaps the most difficult of objectives to accomplish was to make a wine of this pedigree at an inconceivable price.

La Cartuja is a small production cuvée made from organically grown and estate-owned grapes located in the Carthusian Les Solanes estate. Les Solanes is in the heart of Priorat, between the towns of El Molar and El Lloar, 2.8 miles southwest of Gratallops. The Les Solanes Vineyard sits at 820 feet elevation with slopes that have a southeastern exposure. Most Priorat wines are expensive and require lots of time before they’re drinkable. La Cartuja is a fresh vision of Priorat, a wine that is young and accessible.

About the Name: During medieval times, La Cartuja was the name given to a large geographical area governed by the Carthusian monks. Similar to the Vatican estates, this area had its own code of law. The whole of Priorat was a ‘Cartuja,’ a religious state rather than a civil domain. Priorat’s winemaking heritage began with the Carthusian monks. For centuries they performed the backbreaking work necessary to care for these difficult, isolated vineyards.