“Mas Martinet needs no introduction. They are one of the pioneers of the Priorat renaissance from 1989.” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

HOT Priorat Wine Spies LIBRARY Exclusive today!

Not a déjà vu Ops, remember this and how fast it went? Well, we went to the source, begging for more. The answer was no. So, we naturally asked, WHAT ELSE? To our pleasant surprise, they offered us a small allocation of the 2014 AT A SIMILARLY CRAZY LOW PRICE! When Jancis Robinson wrote “even at this price, very good value” for this wine, she meant the original price, NOT OURS!

Some wines are so singular and expressive that they reshape your entire perspective on what’s possible.

This is one of those wines.

Three superstars share cult status in the region: Erasmus, Mogador, and Martinet. And today this is the only one you’ll find of the trifecta at a price that’s affordable - at least relative to the competition.

Priorat stardom comes with a price. Normally, you’ll pay around $100 for Clos Mogador. A perfect 100-point Erasmus will fetch $300+. And those are for current vintages. As far as the internet is concerned, this 2014 was all sold out upon release, but we dug deep and found one drinking at peak for ya!

And getting it down to the $60s? With a good decade not leaving the winery cellar? INSANE.

Superstar producers like these represent the true essence of this rugged appellation that, alongside Rioja is the only other Spanish wine region entitled to the top designation of DOCa.

Vinous has the juicy details on what makes this wine so special: “Sara Pérez runs Mas Martinet, established in 1989 by her father, Josep Luis Pérez Ovejero, one of Priorat’s founding fathers. Based in Falset, the family owns 22 hectares of high-altitude, slate-rich vineyards in Gratallops. They make three single-vineyard bottlings, and an entry-level blend called Martinet Bru. Pérez is among the most innovative winemakers in a region that has no shortage of them. The vineyards are farmed organically. And the wines, which are on the distinctly elegant side for Priorat, are made with native yeasts and no added enzymes. Sara Pérez was among the first here to use clay amphoras, a practice that has caught on across Spain. The vines are almost all very old, thus their yield is quite small, and the single-site wines aren’t usually easy to find. Mas Martinet is one of the leading estates in Spain, by my estimation.”

While there remains a lot more to be said about this monumental wine, we’re leaving you with these profound thoughts by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:

“When making a maiden visit to a wine region and knocking on the door of properties, there will always be one that stands out from the rest. There will be one where the wine enraptures and stimulates the senses unlike any other and offers food for thought long after you have departed with renewed spring in your step. On this occasion, it was Mas Martinet. My senses were almost overwhelmed by the thrilling wines…”

We hear you. The only underwhelming part of all this? Our scant allocation won’t last the day… or morning, perhaps.

18/20 Points – Jancis Robinson “Deep cherry red. Dusty fragrance of sweet cherry fruit seasoned with plenty of spice and rocky minerality that shows through even with so much pure and glorious fruit. Then the mineral, dry finesse really kicks in on the palate. Chewy, dry, moreish, and, even at this price, very good value. Intensity without heaviness and much more complexity to come. Surprisingly creamy texture on the finish.”

94 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate “The 2014 Clos Martinet, a blend of Garnacha, Syrah, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from a warmish vineyard, feels riper than the 2013. It had black rather than red fruit, and it also showed a lactic touch. The palate is quite powerful, with abundant, slightly dusty tannins but has better integrated oak, as it’s matured in larger volume casks, and also in cement and clay amphorae.”