Mas De La Basserola

Catalonia produces some wonderfully characterful wines once you move beyond the more famous Rioja and Ribera names dominating supermarket shelves. Mas de la Basserola sits firmly in that quieter, more regional side of Spanish wine.

Based in northeastern Spain, the wines lean Mediterranean in style while still retaining freshness from cooler inland influences. Garnacha, Cariñena and local white varieties often form the backbone of the range, bringing ripe fruit, herbs and spice without excessive heaviness.

The reds tend to show dark cherry, dried thyme, black olive and soft earthy notes with fairly gentle tannins. There’s warmth from the climate obviously, but usually enough acidity underneath to stop things becoming sleepy after one glass.

Catalan wine generally benefits from enormous diversity. Mountains, coastline, limestone soils and old bush vines all exist within relatively short distances, which allows producers to build wines with both ripeness and structure.

Mas de la Basserola feels very much in that relaxed southern European mould. Wine built for food, conversation and warm evenings rather than collector status.