Ekam 2014 (Vinous 92 pts)
Pale straw. Potent aromas of pink grapefruit, lime zest, white flowers and
ginger show excellent lift and clarity. Lively and sharply focused on the palate,
offering concentrated, mineral-driven citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a late
note of honeysuckle. The finish echoes the floral and citrus fruit notes strongly
and clings with outstanding tenacity. This vibrant, minerally wine was fermented
in vats called lagars that were literally carved into the granite on the estate
some time in the 12th century, most likely not by the owner or anybody in his
family. - by Josh Raynolds on September 2015
Ekam 2017 (James Suckling 91 pts)
Bright, ripe lime and lemon character with background pears and white peaches. The palate is long, crisp and focused. Drink now.
(Robert Parker 93 pts)
I also tasted the just-bottled 2017 Ekam, a white produced mostly with Riesling with a touch of Albariño. 2017 was a very dry year with small grapes. They try to combine the high acidity of the Riesling in a cool climate with a rounder character provided by some botrytis. It was cold-fermented in small stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and kept with lees for five months before it was bottled. It felt so young and tender that it felt almost a sin to drink something like that. It's very balanced, clean, pure, transparent and harmonious. The palate is delicate but has inner power and strength, with focused, clean and chiseled flavors. Brilliant. 17,000 bottles and 100 magnums were filled in January 2018.
Castell d'Encus位於西班牙加泰隆尼亞，比利牛斯山脈分區的Costers del Segre產區，Raul Bobet曾在大名鼎鼎的Torres酒莊擔任主釀酒師，釀酒期間受到啓發，期望可以不受全球温室效應影响下繼續釀出心中最完美的酒。其後Raul Bobet於海拔1,000米高的Talarn村開始他的釀酒大計，無意中發現酒莊旁修道院竟然仍保留了僧侶曾在這裡釀酒的痕跡，包括多個12世紀時以人手開鑿的石窖，自然而然便還原古法釀造方法，起初只用少量葡萄作試驗，後來大部分葡萄也用這石窖發酵，然後再到不銹鋼桶或橡木桶陳年。這數十年來能釀出令飲家驚嘆的葡萄酒全因Raul的不斷努力和精益求精，他年青時是工程學科出身的的，所以他亦設計了可再生能源(地熱能發電)推動整個酒莊的電力，非常環保。另外Raul 喜愛哲學和冥想，他的產品皆以梵文或以葡萄生長的地方命名。他的理念很簡單 :
"我們希望釀造出風格非常清晰的葡萄酒，以保持新鮮度為支柱，避免過度成熟和過度萃取。 我們追求優雅和微妙，但又不放棄葡萄酒的複雜性和圓潤感。 毫無疑問，從這個意義上說，葡萄發揮主要作用。"
他的理念看似簡單，但實際操作上卻需要在葡萄種植和釀造過程等細節上花上無比的心思和管理能力，幕後亦有著熟練的團隊協助，才可以在不可預料的天氣下仍能釀出喝一口便令人感動的酒。
Castell d'Encus 毫無疑問是近來世界舞台上最令人振奮的西班牙酒莊。而Raul Bobet亦是有份負責Ferrer Bobet酒莊的人，在那裡他與葡萄酒發燒友Sergi Ferrer-Salat合作，展現出另一高山Priorat酒的獨特風味。
此酒因為沒有經過淨化，所以會出現沉澱物。而因為沒有二氧化硫，所以應保存在清涼地方避免不必要演化。酒內酸度令此酒比一般自然葡萄有更強陳年能力，只需把酒保存於適當的條件和溫度下。
產地：
西班牙-加泰羅尼亞
種類：
白葡萄酒
葡萄品種：
Riesling, Albariño
釀造：
原生酵母，於 25 hL的小桶以低溫發酵。
品酒筆記：
2014年
(Robert Parker's rating: 93 points)
香氣清新，精確，輪廓分明，具有極高清晰度，非常微妙和低調，味道十分年輕但含蓄。 口感精緻，具穿透力的酸度並帶辛辣感，尾段非常美味並保持礦物感。 由於其高酸度，並不會注意到它的甜度。
(Vinous' rating: 92 points)
粉紅葡萄柚、橙皮、白花和生薑的濃郁香氣展現出出色的提升力和清晰度。 口感活潑而敏銳，提供濃縮的礦物感，驅動著柑橘和果園水果風味及金銀花的尾韻。 餘韻強烈，呼應著花香和柑橘類水果的香氣，並有出色的持久力。 這種充滿活力的礦物酒是在稱為“Lagares”的大石桶中發酵的，這些大桶實際上是在12 世紀由僧侶開鑿在花崗岩上。
2017年
(Robert Parker's rating: 93 points)
感覺很年輕，而味道極為平衡，清澈，純淨而又具透明度，和諧有緻。入口美味而當中極有力，有集中而清晣的味道。完全是傑作。
2018年
帶有柑橘和花香。帶有柑橘和花香。鮮明的酸度圍繞著甘油和清脆的寒冷氣候水果的味道展開。
Raul Bobet’s groundbreaking wines from the Pyrenees subzone of the Costers del Segre appellation, are produced in the village of Talarn at 1,000 meters altitude. The wines are named with Sanskrit words or after the places where grapes are grown. Nowadays most of the wines are fermented in the 12th century stone lagares from the property. It has to be seen to be believed. However, the process is not the most important thing, what is really important is that the results are superb. These are some of the most exciting new wines throughout Spain. And Bobet, the ex-Torres enquiring mind, is also responsible for the breathtaking Priorats from the Ferrer-Bobet winery, his joint venture with entrepreneur and wine lover Sergi Ferrer-Salat.
Country of Origin:
Spain / Catalonia
Type:
White/Blanc (Still)
Grape Varieties:
Riesling, Albariño
Vinification:
Indigenous yeasts, fermented in small tubs of 25 Hl at low temperature.
Tasting Notes:
2014 Vintage
(Robert Parker's rating: 93 points)
The nose is fresh, precise, chiseled with laser-like sharpness, very subtle and whispering, incredibly young and insinuating. The palate shows similar precision, with sharp acidity and pungent flavors, ending very tasty and dry. You don't notice any sugar in these whites, because of the very high acidity.
(Vinous' rating by Josh Raynolds : 92 points)
Pale straw. Potent aromas of pink grapefruit, lime zest, white flowers and ginger show excellent lift and clarity. Lively and sharply focused on the palate, offering concentrated, mineral-driven citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a late note of honeysuckle. The finish echoes the floral and citrus fruit notes strongly and clings with outstanding tenacity. This vibrant, minerally wine was fermented in vats called lagars that were literally carved into the granite on the estate some time in the 12th century, most likely not by the owner or anybody in his family.
2017 Vintage
(Robert Parker's rating: 93 points):
I also tasted the just-bottled 2017 Ekam, a white produced mostly with Riesling with a touch of Albariño. 2017 was a very dry year with small grapes. They try to combine the high acidity of the Riesling in a cool climate with a rounder character provided by some botrytis. It was cold-fermented in small stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts and kept with lees for five months before it was bottled. It felt so young and tender that it felt almost a sin to drink something like that. It's very balanced, clean, pure, transparent and harmonious. The palate is delicate but has inner power and strength, with focused, clean and chiseled flavors. Brilliant.
2018 Vintage
Light olive green color. High intensity, with citrus and floral notes. Significant acidity around which glyceric nuances and notes of crisp cold-climate fruit develop. Long aftertaste, with significant density.
