The pricey 2013 Finca Garbet is pure Syrah matured in new 300-liter French oak barrels. It's a heady, smoky, spicy Syrah in the style of some Australian wines from ripe and warm regions, with plenty of balsamic notes and very oaky. The palate shows abundant, grainy tannins and masses of oak-related flavors, ending quite dry. As most wines here, it feels overoaked, but I'm sure people like it, as in this style it's quite good, but I'd find it difficult to finish one bottle. Only 600 bottles were filled in November 2015. It will take forever to render the wood.

The 2012 Finca Garbet is excessive, starting with the bulky heavy bottle, continuing with the extracted character, the extremely balsamic nose (Tiger Balm!) and the harsh palate plagued by astringent tannins and the cocoa-tinged finish. It's 100% Syrah kept in 300-liter, new French oak barrels for two years. Very little correlation between quality and price here. Recommended only if you like the completely excessive stuff. 700 bottles and 50 magnums.

The 2011 Finca Garbet, a varietal Syrah aged for 21 months in new French oak barrels, seems to have absorbed the effect of the wood, at least in the nose, where it feels like a serious, well-proportioned, classical red wine with some toasted cereal aromas, notes of ripe black cherries, cassis and blackberries, a little bit too ripe for my liking. The palate has some chunky tannins and is begging for some time in bottle to calm down. I’d have never guessed it a Syrah? Drink 2015-2018. Castillo Perelada has been for many years the leading winery in Emporda, as it was created back in 1923. The winery produces a wide range of still and sparkling wines. They work 126 hectares of vineyards and produce an average of 1.5 million bottles per year. The wines have a commercial profile and tend to be quite marked by the oak aging, but some, like the 2011 Ex Ex 10, can be truly exceptional. Importer: Perelada Comercial MHW, Ltd., Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170

The 2009 Finca Garbet is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from seven hectares that overlook the Mediterranean north of “Cap de Creus.” The strong winds mean that yields are very low, averaging 10-12 hectoliters per hectare. The fruit is selected in the vineyard and aged for 18 months in new French Troncais oak. Almost opaque in colour, it has a dense bouquet of macerated dark cherries, dark chocolate, rosemary and white fennel that is well-defined and complex. The palate is full-bodied with mouth-coating, dark chocolate-tinged tannins. It has a vice-like grip that leads towards a sumptuous, creamy finish. This is an intriguing wine, although the oak seems to obfuscate the terroir and minerality, and it comes across as a little introspective. Perhaps, a flagship wine that is thinking too hard? Drink 2015-2022. My first visit to Emporda was to Castillo Perelada, one of the driving forces behind the resurgence of viticulture in this region, where I undertook a comprehensive tasting of both present and past releases. Wine has been made at the Castillo since medieval times. Then in 1923, wealthy businessman Miguel Mateu bought the estate and he sought to revive winemaking tradition both here and in Emporda itself. I tasted the wines with his grandson Javier Suque. He explained how they are using satellite technology to map the vineyard, to such an extent that it made Bordeaux seem Luddite in comparison. It was an interesting set of wines with notable successes and others that missed the mark, and it was also fascinating to taste a vertical of the “Ex Ex” series of experimental wines that customers can subscribe to. The concept here is not to create the ultimate wine each year, but to try new things, toy with varieties and picking dates, to learn from experience. As you can see, the results I found were hit and miss, but I applaud someone who tries out new things and those that do subscribe are in for a ride. Following this, I was afforded an illuminating vertical of previous vintages, some of which have been rated by The Wine Advocate in previous issues. This vertical led me to one simple conclusion: Finca Garbet works best as a pure Syrah, as was the case in 2005 and 2007. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon seems to knock it off balance and is distracting. I also tasted through a vertical of Castillo Perlada’s experimental “Ex Ex” series. The first two Ex Ex wines were sourced from the “Malaveina” vineyard. Importer: Perelada Comercial, NY; www.perladacomercial.com

Like the 2005, the 2007 Finca Garbet contains no Cabernet Sauvignon. It provides more evidence that as a soloist the Syrah is allowed to shine and offers a very pure, vivacious bouquet of blackberry, blueberry and violets that is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent, supple ripe tannins and superb acidity. There is a pure core of crisp dark cherry, cassis and dark plum fruit infused with fine minerality and a long, very poised finish with a keen citric thread that lends poise and tension. This is the finest Finca Garbet so far. Drink 2015-2025+ . My first visit to Emporda was to Castillo Perelada, one of the driving forces behind the resurgence of viticulture in this region, where I undertook a comprehensive tasting of both present and past releases. Wine has been made at the Castillo since medieval times. Then in 1923, wealthy businessman Miguel Mateu bought the estate and he sought to revive winemaking tradition both here and in Emporda itself. I tasted the wines with his grandson Javier Suque. He explained how they are using satellite technology to map the vineyard, to such an extent that it made Bordeaux seem Luddite in comparison. It was an interesting set of wines with notable successes and others that missed the mark, and it was also fascinating to taste a vertical of the “Ex Ex” series of experimental wines that customers can subscribe to. The concept here is not to create the ultimate wine each year, but to try new things, toy with varieties and picking dates, to learn from experience. As you can see, the results I found were hit and miss, but I applaud someone who tries out new things and those that do subscribe are in for a ride. Following this, I was afforded an illuminating vertical of previous vintages, some of which have been rated by The Wine Advocate in previous issues. This vertical led me to one simple conclusion: Finca Garbet works best as a pure Syrah, as was the case in 2005 and 2007. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon seems to knock it off balance and is distracting. I also tasted through a vertical of Castillo Perlada’s experimental “Ex Ex” series. The first two Ex Ex wines were sourced from the “Malaveina” vineyard. Importer: Perelada Comercial, NY; www.perladacomercial.com