Torres, Gonfaus, Catalonia, Spain, 2016

This red variety may in fact be female rather than hermaphroditic like most; further studies are underway. It grows at 460m in Osona in northern Catalonia, where winters are very cold and summers hot, and harvest is at the end of September or early October. It’s the darkest of the three red wines, with black fruits infused with menthol, eucalyptus and pine. On the palate this is a serious, earthy and dense - though not markedly tannic - red wine with high acidity and black woodland fruits including damson and sloe. Torres are contemplating using this as a blending grape for Purgatori once it has been accepted as a Penedès variety. Scored 91-94.