2016 San Genis I Vaque Coranya 12x750ml

About the Wine

Welcome to Spain's Best-Kept Secret

One sip of the 2016 Coranya and you'll know why Priorat is wine's best-kept secret. It's got the power to knock you sideways but the elegance to leave you begging for more, delivering that coveted $100+ Priorat experience without the price tag... 

While the world obsesses over Rioja and Ribera del Duero, there's a tiny, almost mythical region in northeastern Catalonia that's been quietly producing some of the planet's most electrifying wines. 

What makes Priorat so special? It's the llicorella—that famous slate-rich soil that produces wines that taste like heaven. These aren't just challenging growing conditions; they're downright hostile. With only 450mm of annual rainfall and extremely poor soils, Priorat forces vines to dig deep, struggle hard, and concentrate everything they have into grapes of unparalleled intensity.

As James Suckling perfectly captures the magic: "Some of the top Priorat wines come with a deep, brooding color and naturally high density and concentration, but they are never thick or heavy. Instead, they show more calculation and restraint with precise, polished tannins, glossy, Great examples for understanding how natural concentration departs from heaviness in wine."

Many Priorat bottles retail for well over $100, and honestly, they're worth every penny. But here's the kicker: Sangenís i Vaqué delivers that same $100+ magic without the $100+ price.

In the world of Priorat, where newcomers arrived in the '90s to international fanfare, Sangenís i Vaqué represents something even more precious—authentic, multi-generational continuity. The Monlleó family lands have been nurturing vines since before the 1700s, making this one of the region's most historically significant properties.

When Pere Sangenís and Conxita Vaqué started planting vines in 1978, they weren't chasing trends—they were fulfilling a destiny that had been waiting for the right moment since the beginning of the 20th century. The desire to bottle these exceptional wines had always been there, but social and economic upheavals in Priorat had made it impossible until Pere and Conxita had the vision and courage to make it happen.

The 2016 Coranya is named after a vineyard, and it represents the absolute pinnacle of what this historic estate can achieve. From their 15 hectares divided between three parcels—Coranya, La Cometa, and Roques Llises—only the most exceptional grapes from the Coranya parcel earn the right to bear this name. These are battle-tested vines over 40 years old, their roots drilling deep into the famous llicorella slate that makes Priorat wines so devastatingly complex.

A while back, when Sangenis lost their American importer, we stepped in and brought over their 2000-2006 vintages. These weren't just any wines - they were made from ancient Carignan vines by a family that's been perfecting their craft for three generations.

The current owner, a woman who learned everything from her father and grandfather, makes wines that are both sophisticated and incredibly easy to drink. Our customers couldn't get enough of them.

After years of absence from the U.S. market, we knew we had to bring Sangenis back. These wines were too good to let slip away again.

2016 was an outstanding vintage for Priorat. Vinous Media blessed this vintage with a 95pt review and said it "has shaped up to be a consistently solid and often excellent year across the area. The 2016s show less brawn and power than their 2015 siblings and should appeal to wine lovers who prize finesse and vibrancy over mass and brute force."

The blend is a masterclass in balance: 50% Carinyena bringing that brooding intensity that Priorat is famous for, while 50% Garnatxa adds layers of bright fruit and Mediterranean sunshine. 

After 12 months in carefully selected one-year-old barrels—85% French Allier oak and 15% American oak.

Tasting Notes

50% Garnacha, 50% Cariñena. The 2016 Coranya shows a deep cherry red with purple edges. Its nose offers ripe red fruits, plums, cassis, and hints of leather, cedar, tobacco, and spice. On the palate, it’s full-bodied with medium-plus tannins, balanced acidity, and flavors of leather, fruits, herbs, and cedar, leading to a long, persistent finish. Bold, direct, and still lively with age.

Reviews

~92 points – Guía Peñín 2022

Dark brooding nose, displaying scents of juicy black fruits. Slightly chalky tannins on the palate, with a persistent finish. ~90 Decanter.