Joan d’Anguera “Altaroses”
One of the most exciting producers emerging out of Spain is Joan D’Anguera. And we were lucky during our trip to Barcelona that we were able to meet him, have him personally give us a tour of his vineyards, and ended with a barrel and older wine tasting. He is a warm, charming man with a great sense of humor.
This family estate dates back 200 years. The wines are made by brothers Joan and Joseph in Tarragona, located just south of Barcelona, the region surrounding the famous D.O. of Priorat. The vineyards lie at an altitude of 200 to 300 meters on clay and calcareous soils. Joan D’Anguera uses barrels of American oak sourced in Spain as well as French oak sourced in France. If you find any wines from this estate buy it by the case.
The brothers have been making some serious changes over the past decade or so. Starting with a focus on organic farming (they are now Biodynamic, Demeter certified), the brothers soon reaped the rewards of healthier vineyards and fruit, but felt that they were still looking for brighter, lighter, fresher wines. To achieve this they began picking a bit earlier and including some whole clusters in the fermentation, going for “infusion;” rather than extraction, of color and flavor.
The result is a beautiful, honest, incredibly drinkable red from Montsant. It is powerful and vibrant showing beautiful fruit freshness with vanilla, dried fruits, and herbs opening up on the palate. Great depth of flavor with juicy orange and some acidity. Enjoy this wine with any meat, or of course, paella.
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