1999 Alvaro Palacios L’Ermita Velles Vinyes Priorat DOCa

Vinous Media (VM)

Saturated deep bright ruby. Wild, slightly reduced aromas of black raspberry, bitter chocolate, smoked meat and tar; shows a porty nuance without coming across at all raisiny. Very dense and thick but sappy and vibrant, with highly complex fruit, game and torrefaction flavors and a complicating suggestion of gun metal. Offers uncanny depth for the year, and terrific finishing flavor. Seems riper and sweeter today than a barrel sample I tried a year ago.