Las Colinas del Ebro Syrah/Garnacha 2014

Purity. It's a desirable quality. People will pay much money for water transported in from an unadulterated Greenlandic cloud and such like, but Las Colinas del Ebro offers something much tastier: fruit purity.

Made solely from the 'free-run juice', this wine has fewer tannins and fresh, vibrant blueberry and blackberry fruit. Like cloud-sourced Greenlandic water, 'tis best enjoyed when young and, possibly unlike cloud-sourced Greenlandic water, has some keen spices and would be a fabulous match for a Catalan lamb stew.

Founded in 1961, Celler Batea is one of the largest producers in Catalunya’s Terra Alta region. The winery selects grapes from over 1500 hectares of vines, from Terra Alta’s various microclimates, all of which contribute different characteristics. Celler Batea has initiated unprecedented investment in recent years, with a move to modernise the facilities, as can be seen in the new vinification areas, storage room and state-of-the art grape reception equipment. Its philosophy is to make wines that express the old vine Garnartxa [Garnacha] grapes, while maintaining good value for customers, many of whom are members of the Cooperative.

Originally from Aragón, winemaker Luis Marin moved to Tarragona in 1995 and has been at the helm of Celler Batea ever since. Luis has also collaborated with many winemakers in other wineries in Terra Alta as he is recognised as one of the most authoritative experts on Garnatxa grapes in the region.

This blend of Syrah and Garnatxa/Garnacha is made entirely from free-run juice, which gives an intense fruit aroma and sweet tannin structure. The Syrah was aged for two months in second use 225 litre and 300 litre American and French barrels with medium toast. Syrah grapes often achieve very high levels of concentration and have a tendency to ‘reduce’ in bottle. So, this short exposure to oak helps soften the wine and avoids any reduction in bottle. The Garnatxa/Garnacha remained unoaked and was blended back with the Syrah to form a complex wine with sweet tannins.

Deep purple in colour, with blue fruits, mineral flavours, and a hint of game on the nose, this is a medium-bodied, up-front offering. Ripe, complex, well-balanced and notable for its purity. It would be a great match with any slow-cooked country dishes, such as stews, casseroles.