I've been lucky to look at a couple of very good entry level wines from Priorat over the past couple of weeks, and this is anther ripper. The Noster is made from 7 to 18 year old garnacha (55%) and crineña (45%) vines. Aging is older french oak for half the blend, while the other half is kept in stainless steel vats. This is right along side the Tar and Roses for great quality at a great price. This shows a bit more refinement, where the Tar and Roses is more in the rustic zone. After seeing the price increase for the 2005 Clos Mogador (which is quite dramatic), its refreshing to see wines of this caliber at this price point.

 

Nice dark colour with a solid nose of soot, boozy cherries, violets, dark chocolate and a touch of raspberry. Quite intense, but smooth in the mouth with a backbone of fine tannins and acid. There is a touch of heat in the background, but this disappears as the wine opens up more air. The palate shows more cherry and raspberry with some minerals and pepper. The finish is long and shows off the smooth tannins. Well worth the money, and a good intro to Priorat.  Drink now and over the next 4 years. 91 Pts.

Source: Ce Soir Imports Price: $39 Closure: Conventional Cork