Catching up with Herència Altés
by Miquel Hudin
In writing this update, I was looking back at the initial tasting, followed by the 2021 Terra Alta report, and now the wines listed below which I tasted in situ with Rafa last month. The wines really are steadily-scoring higher and this despite my getting to be a tougher reviewer as time goes on.
The core to their work is doing less intervention in the winery, while still making clean, precise wines. It seems a simple concept, but it’s amazing how many stumble in pulling this off.
More than this, there’s the doubling down on what makes Terra Alta great which is: Garnatxa Blanca and Garnatxa Peluda (Hairy Grenache). Yes, regular Grenache is good and even Syrah can be quite nice, but these two main varieties… really show the territory at its best... you can see in the wines below, it’s the Garnatxa Blanca (La Serra Blanc) and Garnatxa Peluda (as La Pilosa) which I’ve scored the highest.
It should be noted that they’re doing some fine work in the skin-contact department as the Trementinaire also showed well, much as when I first tasted it.
While Herència Altés isn’t the only high-quality producer in Terra Alta, the work needed to rise up and get attention on a crowded world wine stage is simply massive. Much as when I first visited in 2017, they are indeed making it happen and I’ll continue to enjoy seeing what’s to come.
For more information you can continue reading the news on https://www.hudin.com/catching-up-with-herencia-altes/
WINES
Herència Altés La Pilosa 2021 - 94 pts
Dried red cherry with a great wealth of anise, black pepper, dried plum peel, fragrant rose petals. Great deal of body for the variety, excellent length, fresh, lively, very pretty with a fine, lingering finish.
100% Hairy Grenache · 14%
Herència Altés La Serra Blanc 2020 - 94 pts
Dried green apple and pear, light notes of toffee, minor vanilla, and toasted red peppercorn, mint and a touch of eucalyptus. Full and very rich on the palate, lovely creamy mineral notes with a super long finish and the slight oxidative aspects lend a good deal of texture. Vineyard planted in 1918.
100% Grenache Blanc · 14.5%
HerènciaAltés La Serra Negre 2019 - 93 pts
Very delicate, soft fruit, light bits of plum, dark and red cherry, forest fruits, cocoa notes, black pepper, potpourri. Very bright fruit on the palate, acidity quite potent in the finish and wraps around the fruit.
80% Cariñena, 20% Grenache · 14%
Herència Altés La Xalamera 2020 - 93 pts
Dark cherry, minor plum and dried boysenberry aspects, delicate toasted notes, dried herbs of rosemary, oolong tea. Fine red fruit definition with a good deal of length and acidic freshness to it.
100% Grenache · 15%
Herència Altés Trementinaire 2020 - 93 pts
Rich dried yellow apple, red peppercorn, caramel, light taffy notes, as well as toasted aspects, and some light notes of sage and herbal bits. Grippy and crisp on the palate, dried orchard fruit, perhaps chops just a touch in the finish but really full and engaging on the palate.
100% Grenache Blanc · 13.5%
Herència Altés Lo Grau de l’Inquisidor 2019 - 92+ pts
Dried red cherry with a light bit of mint, toasted noted with a bit of vanilla, and powdery earthiness. Big and potent on the palate, dark fruited with a wealth of spice, good length to it and a kick of acidity, could use more time to age.
100% Syrah· 15%
Herència Altés Benufet 2022 - 91+ pts
Dried yellow apple, light toasted notes of hazelnut, dried thyme, and light herbal notes, minor touch of dried lavender at the base. Good deal of grip and punch on the palate, dried orchard fruit note and structure that shows a good deal of room for development.
100%Grenache Blanc · 13.5%
Herència Altés Garnatxa Blanca 2022 - 91 pts
Light dried lemon peel and white peach with a touch of green apple, bitter almond, and afine chalky aspect. Crisp and balanced on the palate, very delicate midpoint to it with lengthy acidity in the finish.
100% Grenache Blanc · 13%
Herència Altés Garnatxa Negra 2022 - 90 pts
Red strawberry and minor dark cherry aspects, black tea, light stemmy notes, but overall quite fresh. Crisp and zesty on the palate, red fruit dominant, not tremendous length to it, but really lively and very drinkable for the youth of it.
100% Grenache · 14.5% · 10€ - Quality for price? Yes
Herència Altés La Musaranya 2022 - 90 pts
Very light dried orchard fruit, minor touches of apricot, light touch of toffee, and minor pepper notes. Gives a more chewy and fleshy wine on the palate, acidity quite driving in it with punchy tannins, but runs a touch thin in the finish. Basically same wine as Benufet but picked earlier.
100% Grenache Blanc · 13%
Herència Altés La Tarentina 2022 - 90 pts
Lovely salmon pink color. Dried wild strawberry, light rose petal, delicate herbal notes, sweet sandstone mineral note at the base. Crisp and lively on the palate, minor red fruits, and a touch of reduction in the finish.
100% Hairy Grenache · 13.5%
Herència Altés Llunari – Vi Brisat 2022 - 90 pts
Dried red apple peel, light notes of dried apricot, light notes of thyme, quite a good deal of red pepper notes, youthful but with width. Poppy and fresh, chewiness on the palate, good deal of grip and super gastronomic.
100% Grenache Blanc · 12.5%
Miquel Hudin, 03/05/23