Description
Viticulture has an ancient history in Priorat. Winemaking in the region dates to the 12th century when monks founded the Carthusian Monastery of Scala Dei in 1194. The prior of Scala Dei ruled as a feudal lord over seven villages in the area, which gave rise to the name Priorat. Meritxell Pallejà has deep roots in Priorat and follows in the footsteps of her winemaker father, Lluís Pallejà, who studied oenology in the coastal town of Tarragona just south of Barcelona. She gained experience working in the cellars of Domaine Leflaive in Burgundy and Pine Ridge Winery in the Napa Valley. She then worked for 18 years with Alvaro Palacios in her native Priorat, where today, she continues to make wine under her eponymous winery which she established in 2004. Meritxell produces her wines biodynamically and is known for crafting complex, nuanced wines with beautiful mineral notes and wonderful flavor.
The vineyards are divided into five separate plots planted between 1969 and 2008. All of the vineyards are owned and controlled by Meritxell Pallejà and her family. Each plot consists of mainly slate, which in addition to imparting a signature minerality, forces the roots to push down several meters in search of moisture, water and nutrients. This natural stressing of the vines is believed to encourage a more complex and concentrated flavor profile in the finished wines. The 2020 NITA is a blend of 45% Garnatxa, 35% Carignan, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah. Fermentation utilizing only wild yeasts in concrete, followed by further aging in concrete before bottling.
Aromas of fresh red summer fruits. The palate is soft, round and juicy with flavors of sweet strawberries, raspberries, crushed blueberries and ripe Bing cherries. Young and sappy with mouthwatering acidity and a subtle spice behind the wonderfully balanced, fine-grained tannins; the finish beautifully sculpted, with a classic, flinty minerality
