La Forcallà de Antonia 2014

"Cambra has been recovering the local Forcalla (or Forcallat) red grape since 2011 and has planted 10,000 vines in a high-density vineyard to ensure its continuity. The wine he produces with it is not called simply after the grape, but rather 2014 La Forcalla de Antonia, which I guess must be named after someone from the vineyard's owner's family, one of the few remaining old plots of the grape. The variety was close to extinction, perhaps because it delivered lower alcohol and less color than others and also because it is a late-ripener, which made it a risky cultivar given the zone's tendency to suffer torrential autumn rains. It's a good job they did not rip this vineyard up and that Rafael Cambra is showing us this interpretation of the grape which feels very aromatic, subtle and floral, with almost imperceptible impact from its eight months in neutral 500-liter French oak barrels. There is something different, a note of wilderness here. The palate is very fresh and with a silky texture, very elegant, tasty and long. This is not only unique, it's also great. Very, very impressive! 4,500 bottles were filled in September 2015."