Elvi's high class wines

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I sampled the various brands made by Elvi Wines in Spain. Having found their more modest options to be intriguing I found myself eager to try their higher priced brands to see if they would live up to their greater (yet still modest as wine goes) expense. After drinking two bottles of Elvi’s Elite wines, the EL26 2005 and the EL26 2005 Sweet, I can tell you confidently that not only do they live up to other wines in their price range, they eclipse them.

The EL26 2005 Priorat is a deep, dry red wine made from a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It pours in an intense dark ruby color and smells strongly of oak, figs and eucalyptus. When sipped the first flavor you get is a smoky fullness that coats the mouth and prepares you for the second note, dark berries followed by a long citrus finish. Its overall flavor is bold but still has just a hint of fruity sweetness that evens out its stronger notes. This wine is what I would refer to as a sipping wine, best savored over time so that the full extent of its flavors can be enjoyed. It is best if allowed to breath for no less then half an hour and preferably much longer. Because of its strong flavors it pairs best with hearty dishes and is the perfect wine to eat with a medium rare steak.

The EL26 2005 Priorat Sweet is made from a blending of late harvest Grenache and Syrah grapes. Its color is a much brighter ruby than its dry red brother. It’s smells of ripening fruit and reminded me of the familiar aroma I encountered every time I visited my favorite fruit vendor at the Mahane Yehuda Shuk in Israel. The EL26 sweet’s mouth feel is pleasantly syrupy and coats the palate with a delicate sweetness. Its flavor is a brilliant and well-balanced combination of cherries,
blackberries, currants and strawberries.

The finish created by its bright flavors and full texture is silky and leaves the mouth satisfied but craving more. The EL26 Sweet is a desert wine and by that I don’t mean that it should be served with desert, but rather that it is in itself a desert. Paired with anything but melon or more mild tropical fruits the unique sweetness of this wine would be lost.

After drinking these two wines I realized that what I liked most about them is their depth of character. Each flavorful note is overlaid by a different complementary note. This effect creates a cyclical movement of flavor that makes every sip of the EL26 an
experience to savor. What the EL26 reminded me most was that though there are many high end wines, some stand out above the rest. EL26 is one of those wines that stands alone; very few are its equal.

Zechariah Mehler is a widely published food writer and expert in social marketing. Follow him on Twitter @thekoshercritic