This past week I had the need to enjoy a wine with some non-animal based food, a vegan chili, and I fell upon the desire to try some of the 2008 Capcanes Peraj Petita. The wine is a blend of three classical Spanish grapes; mostly Grenache, along with Tempranillo, and Carignan. The wine starts off closed as tight as a steel drum, which is saying a fair amount for four years. After an hour or two the wine starts to open up, but the time you have available once it does open is short – so be careful. This is definitely a wine upon which you want to keep a close eye. Why? Because not withstanding the still gripping tannin this is a wine that will drop like a cliff once it hits the wall. I mean this wine will go from gripping tannin to absolutely DOA – so again be careful.

The wine was quite enjoyable and though I loved it like no one’s business a few months ago – it has taken a step back or down since that time. The wine has less oak influence showing and less traction in the mouth. Now, the wine is showing a pale side though one that was quite nice. Personally, I will be drinking this wine through the next year or so and then after that – you are playing with fire.

The wine note follows below:

2008 Celler de Capcanes, Peraj Petita, Montsant – Score: B++
This wine has watered itself down a bit since the last tasting in February. The nose starts is expressive with cedar, espresso coffee, raspberry, cranberry, nice spice, and herb. The mouth on this medium to full bodied wine shows mouth coating tannins that are now integrated, along with pomegranate, blackberry, currant, herb, and a clear sense of green beans, along with nice dirt and wood that ties the mouth together. The finish is long with more espresso, sea salt, mushroom, cloves, spice, and a nice dollop of chocolate. Drink in the next year or so. Also, this wine needs a good hour to properly open up and lasts only a few hours after that.