The opaque purple colored 2008 Grans Muralles Aromas of pain grille, violets, spice box, black cherry, and blueberry inform the nose of this slightly one-dimensional, backward offering. Dense and powerful but lacking much in the way of finesse, it will require another 5-7 years of cellaring to hopefully reveal its full potential. It is not going out too far on a limb to say that Grans Muralles is the greatest wine of the Conca de Barbara DO. Grans Muralles is a single vineyard originally planted in the Middle Ages to the ancient Catalan grape varieties, Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Garro, Samso, and Mazuelo. The wine is aged for 18 months in new French oak. Importer: Dreyfus Ashby & Co., New York, NY; tel. (212) 818-0770

Aromatic, with notes of ground spice, leather and salumi, this creamy red is well-knit, blending supple tannins with open-knit notes of crème de cassis, date, smoke and grilled plum. Garró, Samsó, Garnacha, Mazuelo and Monastrell. Drink now through 2018. 30 cases imported.??–AN??Region: Spain / Conca de Barberà Select to Add