Wine Advocate # 236 - 27th Apr 2018 - Luis Gutiérrez - Mas Martinet • Ranci Dolç de Martinet - 92/100 - $150 - 2018 - 2028<
It all started in 1995. The grapes were picked ripe, but with acidity, and allowed to dehydrate in the shadows for 7-14 days. The grapes were then pressed and fermented slowly until the following spring, reaching 16.8% or 16.9% alcohol, at which point the juice was then put into barrel. It's a solera with the base of some centenary rancio from Porrera. In 2018 they will release the first bottles of the NV Ranci Dolç de Martinet. It has some 80 grams of residual sugar and a nutty nose with hints of raisins and dates. It is less rancio in style than the very old wines and has more aromas of a sweet wine. The palate is quite sweet. They will bottle this every two years to avoid losing the age and concentration of the wine. They filled some half and full bottles. The price given is for 375-milliliter bottles and reflects the loss of volume, since they had 1,800 kilos of grapes and produced only 220 liters of wine !