Alagú Forcallat 2017

The Forcallat grape is vinified in rosé and red, and I tasted two vintages of each color. The red 2017 Alagú Forcallat comes from a very dry vintage and a warm summer that resulted in an early harvest. It comes from similar vines as the rosé, head-pruned, 35-year-old plants on sandy limestone-rich soils at 600 meters in altitude. This fermented with 60% full clusters that were foot trodden and with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel. It went through malolactic fermentation and élevage in used 500-liter oak barrels. The oak is perfectly integrated, and this warmer and more Mediterranean vintage produced a wine with a little more color than the 2018, with higher ripeness and some dusty tannins. 4,850 bottles and 260 magnums produced. It was bottled in October 2018.

Delicious, fresh dark cherries and raspberries here, as well as citrus and something slightly reductive. Earthy undertones add a sense of complexity. Medium-bodied with loads of herbal undertones, this frames firm yet juicy tannins in a vibrant mode. Drink now.