by Giles Cadman
Owned and run by the Bartolomé i Vernet family for several centuries, Primitiu de Bellmunt only started to concentrate on quality wine in the 1990s, having produced bulk wines up to that point. In fact it wasn’t until 1997 that they first bottled their wines instead of selling the harvest to other winemakers. This is all the more surprising given the innate quality of the terroir, and of course the vines themselves which average 80 to 110 years of age!
Primitiu de Bellmunt is now at the forefront of this little known Catalan district, and Priorat (the region) has transformed its lackluster reputation into a real powerhouse of modern winemaking.
The sheer age of the vines means that less fruit is produced which in turn results in highly concentrated wines with distinctive underlying minerality.
Now drinking at its peak, the 2000 offers an enticing nose of coffee, black cherry fruit, eastern spice and smokey hints in a highly aromatic and inviting style. Spicy and slightly mineral on the palate with soft berry fruits and hints of bitter chocolate rounding everything off. The aromatics really make this wine, both on the nose and in the mouth, lingering on the long finish. An utterly charming wine which is better than many I have tasted at several times the price. This is well worth investigating if you get the chance; a truly extraordinary value.
You may purchase Primitiu de Bellmunt, 2000 from Cadman Fine Wines.
