My wife and I got a wild hair over the weekend and decided to whip up a big Spanish Feast. I’m talking gazpacho, jamon, albondigas, tortilla- the works! After that, all we needed was some top-tier wine to go with it! Fortunately, I’d brought a little work home with me to check out…

Coster del Olivers Priorat 2018

Sale $19.99

92 pts Jeb Dunnuck

I’ve spilled a fair bit of ink on Priorat, chronicling its years in the proverbial desert as the center of Spanish “bulk wine” production to its slow rise to prominence and then prestige on the international stage with hyper-high-rated wineries like Clos Erasmus. But, Priorat is at a bit of a crossroads at the moment. Cariñena (Carignan) is on the out, while the more recognizable (and more profitable) “international” grapes like Cabernet and Syrah are take up more and more acreage.

However, Coster del Olivers is here to thoroughly reject that trend. Brought to us by importer Eric Solomon, one of Priorat’s biggest cheerleaders and among the region’s foremost authorities, Coster del Olivers harkens back to the early days of Priorat’s rise. By focusing on the indigenous varietals, as well as harvesting from the relatively cooler Northwestern exposures, we find ourselves with a Priorat unashamed of its roots!

Less plump and in your face than modern expressions of the region, Coster del Olivers shows a much more nuanced Priorat that I can’t get enough of. Juicy berry and plum notes waft out over the lovely, slatey minerality typical of the region, with some complex floral and leather notes that elevate this to a surprising degree. To me, though, the real star of the show here is the tannins. This is a beautifully textured wine, owing to both it’s fermentation in concrete and a year in both Hungarian and French oak. An absolute superstar, both for long-time Priorat fans as well as those looking for an entry point to the region.

As far as food pairing, this guy is surprisingly versatile thanks to its weight. Usual big red partners like steaks and roasts are obviously on the table, but I was really pleased how well it went with the Abondigas my wife and I whipped up. Obviously those massive fruit notes are going to go well with meat, but the texture and mineral notes worked wonders alongside that high acid tomato broth. I’ve got a recipe linked in the pic- trust me- you’ll want a double batch!

“Based largely on Carignan, with 30% Garnacha and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Priorat has a big, smoky nose of mulled red and black fruits, graphite, flowers, and new leather. This carries to a medium to full-bodied wine with terrific tannins (especially for Carignan), a balanced, elegant texture, no hard edges, and a great finish.” -JD

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