Alvaro Palacios L’Ermita Velles Vinyes Priorat DOC 2006 0,75L

ROBERT PARKER ” There are eleven barrels produced of Palacios’ flagship, the 2006 L’Ermita. The fruit is sourced from the estate’s Ermites vineyard planted entirely to Garnacha, with the two parcels 67 and 100 years of age respectively. The current vintage marks the first year that no Cabernet was added to the wine. It was aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak. Deep crimson-colored, it shows off a super-fragrant nose of pain grille, pencil lead, licorice, sage, incense, anisette, and black cherry. Elegant, velvety-textured, rich, and layered, this stylish effort conceals enough tannin to blossom for another 5-7 years. Its drinking window will extend from 2015 to 2030. It is unquestionably a great wine but not quite at the level of the 2004 and 2005. “