MAS MARTINET - Female Touch

by kmsz
Oct 22, 2017
6 min read

Mas Martinet -Introduction:

Walking under the heat a title of an old book sprang into my mind "Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera. Emotional battle of two human beings through a philosophical journey, complexity and endless battle against each other which reminds me of the next vineyard I am about to write. Complexity and Uncertainty!

It was very humid on that day I was absorbing the scenery while I was walking. The temperature was sizzling, I took my rucksack and the camera with me heading to the road. Being myself walking without disturbance. Thinking back, have I made the right decision... yes, I have. Living in London can be sometimes really overwhelming I was closing my eyes, processing my surroundings, feeling weightless.... Nature can really communicate to you and can give you endless energy. Undoubtedly the viticulture and the wine itself came as a surprise to me. Mas Martinet is one of the kind who has history, history which had, has and will have a message to the new generation to remember. Josep LLuis Perez was one of the pioneers in Priorat who established the reputation of this wine region. The Perez Ovejero Family founded Mas Martinet winery in 1989, paying attention specifically to grape varieties, soil and combination of the area. 20 years later, his daughter, Sara Pérez became in charge, managing the vineyard. The winery itself is using native and international grape varieties, producing "Purity" wine which has real reflection of the landscape, terroir and its surrounding.

Josep is a real Valencian, who had decided to leave his hometown to emigrate to Switzerland where he worked in the restaurant. Worked as a Barber and in the meantime studying, enrolling at the University of Geneva to complete his study as a human biologist. When he decided to return to his home country, he became a professor in Sant Cugat and technical director in one of the school in Falset. He was teaching oenology and formed a team who was also required to travel to other wine region including France, Switzerland and Germany. In 1986 Josep met Rene Barbier in Priorat, asking his advice and assistance, since by this time Josep was a technical advisor for the Institute Catala de la Vina y el Vi (INCAVI). The result was that oth had set up an agrarian society with other "Rock Stars " * see under Priorat - helping him to revolutionise the region Priorat.

History of Winery: The first harvest is a commercial failure, was very expensive to produce, the quality was also not up to the standard. This failure has indeed changed Perez whole view about producing wine. Learning of the failure he traveled to France and acquiring a bottle of Petrus from the year of 1989. He took the wine to Priorat and analyzed and he was certain that the region can also produce similar wines, attempting to emulate the outcome within the region.

Studying microclimate, soil and grape varieties he decided to chose to manage Mas Martinet as his personal project. The estate itself is located between Falset and Gratallops, home for more 7 hectares vineyards. Native Varieties such as Grenache, Carignan we come across with international grape varieties such as Cabarnet Sauvigion, Merlot and Syrah. The vineyards are located in high altitude. Irrigation of microaspresion has also been installed to avoid too much distress for the wine when it comes to budding and veraison. The vineyard is now to pass to Sarah, her daughter and Rene Barbire's son Christopher Barber, who founded the Venus La Universal Winery as well collaborating with other projects in the Montsant and Priorat.

Sara Pérez is one of those infectious characters who manages to explain terroir that they own fully. Her Passion comes through when she talks about vineyards and exploiting the terroir, being an invisible player of Priorat.

"The region is very mesmeric. "Escursions" it's life. " Pesserolers is elemental and needs some oak to give some warmth" , Mas Martinet came a long way since the estate has been established. Undoubtedly the emphasis is on Grenache, Syrah and Carignan who are the PROTAGONIST regardless in this region.

Wines:

Martinet Bru 2015: The wine made of predominantly of Grenache blended with Cabarnet Sauvigion, Syrah, Granacha Tinta, Merlot, Cariñena. The grapes comes from the Mas Torrent Estate, located in the area of Masos de Falset and owned by the winery. Martinet Bru is fermented in wood with its lees and afterwards the must will be washed carefully. Those techniques are used during the fermentation process. Aged in 4000 litres vats for 18 months (66% of the total) and in barrels of 300 litres of new French Oak. The wine gives you a hint during the tasting. Dark ripped cherry, ripe black fruits notes, you can still taste of minerality of the soil moving forward to the combination of more complex notes such as liquorice. From medium (-) to medium(+) body, medium in alcohol with a long lingering finish. This wine can not be underestimated.

Clos Martinet 2013: According to Sarah herself, the wine shows "purity " and the most deepest expression of Mas Martinet, made of grapes which have been harvested from 5 different organically cultivated vineyards. The wine predominantly made of Grenache blended with Cabarnet Sauvigion, Syrah, Granacha Tinta, Merlot, Cariñena. Fermentation simply carried out using a wild yeast during the fermentation and let the wine age at least for 21 months in wooden fudres or barrels. The wine is really reflects the concepts of what Sarah Perez thinks of the the region itself. " Passion shines through the region ". Needless to say all of the powerful red notes comes through the tasting notes. Emerging ripped blackberries, ripped plum with a medium bodied and a protagonist "Grenache" who overpowers the other participants in the bottle. Fully enjoyable bottle of wine which shouts out.... do not put me on the shelf you can enjoy me now. Highly recommended!

Els Escurçons 2014: Taking the road unexpectedly I found myself in unfamiliar territories, not knowing what I could expect like "wondering stars" I arrived exhausted walking under the heat. There were a group of Chinese Visitors who wanted to know about this region eagerly as I was. Big smile and let's hit the road. It was not enough space on the track so me and two others were travelling on back of the track holding to anything what we could. Laughing and smiling at each other we were simply enjoying the ride and not to mention the endless stretching view. We arrived, few introduction, and table were laid in few minutes with local produced cheese platter and here it came the selection wine. This is the first time I met a new training techniques called "Iron Ring". It placed around the stock of the wine and trained thematically let the shoot to reach to the best potential. Els Escurcons - comes form a historical plot according to the local guide. None had planted or grown anything for more than 100 years. The plot is located 600 metres above sea level. In 1999 Mas Martinet planted the first Syrah and Grenacha grapes and the first successful vintage was produced in the year of 2006. 80% of the wine is aged in 200 litres of ceramic amphoras and 20% which ends up the wine will age for 18 months further. Tasting note intense and dramatic good balance of Garnacha Tinta which as I mentioned during the notes through Priorat shows complex ripped plum, cherry tasting notes with long tasting note in the mouth. Manually harvested and carefully selected, once in the cellar the wine was put into wooden tanks, concrete vats and open barrels. Then it was fermented using indigenous yeasts for 28 to 32 days with periodic pump-overs and punch-downs. The wine was subsequently aged in 300 litres oak barrels for 12 months. Prior to its bottling, was further aged in a big wooden vat to fully round it. Decanting MUST and consume an hour later.It is always difficult to describe any wines when it comes to a particular grape variety however one thing is for sure climate and other factors indeed influence the vintage. "Dare to challenge"and I would say it is my "Summer Wine"....or can be age further and consume the wine within 12 or 20 years.

How to get there: The vineyard is about 15 drive by car from Gratallops and if you are decide to walk it takes you about from 45 minute to 50 minute to get there. The scenery is beautiful if you are really like walking I do suggest and take a road. It was absolutely beautiful!

Vineyard: