Bodega Família Nin Ortiz - Planetes de Nin Priorat 2010

Bodega Família Nin Ortiz - Planetes de Nin Priorat 2010 (91 TSW)

Nin-Ortiz is a small and special wine estate in Priorat of Ester Nin and Carles Ortiz. They are known for their biodynamic approach and their wines are rated fantastic every year.

In 2004 Ester and Carles started with just 1 ha of vineyard. Esther is a biologist and oenologist at Clos Eramus. She herself comes from the highlands of Penedès, where they also have vineyards, and Carles takes responsibility for the vineyards. The vineyards are planted on extremely steep slopes at some 650 meters above sea level, one of the highest vineyards in all of Priorat. This year also saw the first wine on the market (although only one barrique) and it immediately gained high praise and cult status: the Nit de Nin "Mas d'en Cacador". Today they have 13 ha of vineyards, of which 12 ha in Priorat and 1 ha in Penedès. They now make 8 different wines that are praised time and again for their purity, finesse and complexity.

Ester and Carles work from biodynamic principles. They therefore only use organic products and pesticides. The vineyards are planted on so-called "costers" (directly on the slope), instead of on terraces, which is often done here. All work in the vineyards is done by hand and plowing is done by a mule to revive the soil. The harvested grapes are cooled back to avoid oxidation. They work with spontaneous fermentation, often in large foudres or amphoras. They want to keep the wines as elegant and pure as possible, so they only use neutral wooden barrels for the aging of the wines.

Planetes de Nin is a blend of 70% Garnatxa, 30% Cariñena with 15 months of aging in oak barrels.

My tasting notes:

In the glass a deep ruby red color.
On the medium(+) nose aromas of black berries, dark cherries and plums with nice integrated notes of cedar, vanilla, herbs, mushrooms and forest floor.
On the palate dry, medium(+) bodied with medium acidity and nice integrated tannins. Flavours are a recall of the nose with a nice medium(+) length aftertaste. After 11 years at it's ideal drinking window.