Black Slate - 2009 "Porrera" Priorat red blend [Spain]

It's time to dive deep into the furthest reaches of my long-term wine storage to find some bottles that need drinkin'. Today's is one such example; I reckon I got this from Charles Fine Wine in 2010 or 2011, at the height of my "investment wine" phase. At that time, I'd say I probably bought two fancy bottles, per month, to store and drink later. A good portion of retail wines aren't usually meant to be aged past two or three years (some tannin-heavy wines could have a maximum shelf life of about ten years) so it's no surprise that I've already had the chance to drink most of the ones I purchased.

Except for this one! This is the oldest one in my cellar - a vintage 2009 red blend from Black Slate, a winery located in the county of Priorat in the Tarragona province of the autonomous region of Cataluna in Spain. Located just to the south of Barcelona, this small yet robust winemaking region has a DOQ, a parallel to France's AOC, America's AVA, and Italy's DOC. Awarded in 2003, Priorat DOQ is only the second in all of Spain after Rioja - Denominaciono d'Origen Qualificada in the Catalan language.

This wine is a three-way blend of Garnatxa Negra (black Grenache), Carinyena (Carignane), and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in a rocky soil called "Llicorella". This relatively acidic soil is made from broken-up slate, hence the name of wine, and it's known to impart mineral and earth notes to the wine. So once these grapes were harvested, they spent a 30 day maceration in tank and concrete vessels, then aged for a year in French and Hungarian Oak barrels.

Regarding the age - given previous I fear this is another entry in the "James left this in his cellar too long" category, but when I bought this back in 2011, Charles indicated it was good through 2018. He's the expert, so I'll give it as shot.

Wowzers, look at that color. The bricking - or the color change from red to brown at the wine ages - is really quite evident here.

OK, wow. The time spent in the bottle has definitely made its mark, with most of the fruit having dropped out. It's soft but very silky, with some elements of minerals and leather, but lacks any juice or jam whatsoever. A touch savory, it's actually a bit like port - my brother Dan says it's like a "dessert pinot" - slightly sweet and mostly dry. But unlike the Burgundy we had with Thanksgiving, this wine has lost its sweetness due to aging, not due to a particular style.

There was discussion at the table about this being too soft; I think the softness is fine, and frankly, it was a good time to try it. I would say that this wine has reached its peak of aging, and that any longer might have negatively affected the flavor. Alcohol acts as a preservative, so there's no danger in this wine going bad - the only issue is how the flavors might age.

Anyways, I'm pleased with a result. Most of the wines you see in the store, and most of the ones I have in my cellar, can't be aged this long, so it was cool to try something old (and not disgusting!)