The 2010 Clos de l’Obac, a blend of red Mediterranean and French grapes, is more serious, with a restrained nose showing balance and hints of elegance, combining the ripe black fruit with the sweet spices and some forest floor notes. However, the palate seems to lack the freshness I have found in other 2010s and the tannins seem to be drying up the fruit a little bit, so I’d opt for drinking this on the younger side with some powerful food. Drink now-2016. Importer: Obac Imports, Oakland, CA; tel. (650) 332-4740

The 2009 Clos de l’Obac is a blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Garnacha, and 10% each of Syrah, Carinena and Merlot. It has a well-defined, very sensual bouquet of blackberry, tobacco, sandalwood and a touch of Provencal herbs and lavender that unfurl nicely in the glass. The palate is full-bodied with firm grip on the entry, a Bordeaux-like structure with a noticeable tannic backbone. Notes of tarry black fruits, spice and liquorice vie for attention and lacquer the mouth, lending this a very masculine veneer. It is well-defined towards the saline finish, which is still a little broody and chewy, even though my sample was decanted over two hours prior to my arrival. Drink 2015-2025. Carles Pastrana was one of the pioneers of Priorat’s renaissance in the 1980s, when viticulture hung by a 700-hectare thread. Alongside Alvaro Palacios and Rene Barbier, Pastrana bottled his first vintage in 1989. His aim is to express the terroir in accordance with the vintage, to reflect its vagaries by always using the same blend of grape varieties year after year, while all his wines are unfiltered. The flagship Clos de l’Obac is one of Priorat’s longest serving wines although I somehow felt that the Bordeaux grape varieties did not quite “gel” with the Rhone. Importer: Vinea Imports, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 313-4994; Mono Verde Imports; www.monoverdeimports.com; and Obac Imports; no telephone number available.

The 2008 Clos de L’Obac is composed of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Garnacha, with the balance Syrah, Merlot, and Carinena aged 14 months in new French oak before bottling without filtration. It reveals a deeper color along with an inviting bouquet of pain grille, mineral, Asian spices, incense, blackberry, and plum. Round and smooth on the palate, this is a surprisingly forward effort that can be approached now, although it should easily last through 2020. Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Fine Estates From Spain, Dedham, MA; tel. (781) 461-5767

Lovely berry and wild herb aromas give way to sweet cherry, chocolate, spice and mineral notes in this polished, supple red. Not weighty, but has drive and harmony. Drink now through 2015. 200 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Priorat Select to Add