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- Tasting with August of the 2009, 2010 and 2011 vintages of l’Espill & Negre
As we arrive in Priorat we stop at the oldest winery operating in Priorat – Celler Cecilio. Our good friend August is there waiting for us to show us around and taste his wonderful wines. A winery we have always supported here at the shop but not done to much with but after tasting the wines again this year I am determined to change it. The elegance, minerality, and power of these wines is simply amazing. On top of it August the winemaker and owner is a character who just makes you want to sit down pop a bottle and listen to what he has to say because it is insightful, thought provoking and funny.
I was blown away with the 2010 vintage as the power of the 80 year old vines show the elegance which he strives to achieve with a faint amount of restraint which will dissipate with time. We went to lunch and August treated us to a magnum of the 2005 vintage L’Espill which I was not only super appreciative of but also blown away at its youth.
In the afternoon we met up with Blai the assistant winemaker and went and visited his property and tasted his personal wines the Billo and Des Nivell. Many of you have been enjoying the wines and I was happy to see the continued growth in the wines he is making and the 2010 vintage which is coming out shortly is his best effort yet and the 2011 and 2012 are worthy successors.
The Des Nivell 2012 is going to be the largest production of the wine yet in a year where everyone else had less he was able to get more fruit and maintain the high quality of the vintage. Look forward to seeing his growth and the wines in the future.
