Montsant – the tasting notes

Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon. 1968 Garnatxa vines from Cornudella at 649m. 
Some acetate and evolved notes on the nose. The fruit is juicy but tannins are slightly dry. The wine is quite ripe and has a tight, farmyard finish. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Cabernet Sauvignon. Vines planted in 2002 in Cornudella at 550 m. Certified organic vineyards. Hand harvest with various selections. Ten months in new French oak barrels. The winemaker Jordi Torroella points out, ‘the vineyards are really well situated; Cornudella is a great place with a huge temperature contrast that permits ripening of the grapes while keeping the acidity’.
Modern in style, clean, pleasant, smooth, toasty character and lots of damson fruit in the nose. Ripe but not extreme, silky tannins, dense texture with enough freshness and a spicy aftertaste. Quite exciting because it combines density and easy pleasure. (FC) 13.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena. Two different vineyards from 1973 and 2000 planted between 500 and 625m in Cornudella. Harvest takes place late October to mid November. Hand harvest. Twelve months in 300-400 litre French oak. Bottled according to the lunar cycle.
Overripe sweet, cherry liquor, raisins and port aromas. The palate is broad but driven by creaminess. The wine lacks dynamism. (FC) 14%

Garnatxa from a local co-operative dating back to 1954. 30-year-old vineyard located in Ulldemolins. 6,000 kg/ha. Fermentation and MLF takes places in underground cement tanks. No oak ageing. Jaume Árboles the winemaker says, ‘this wine express the freshness, fruit and meaty character that Ulldemolins can give’.
Sincere, honest and youthful wine. Not pretentious at all but giving lots of pleasure for a retail price of €4. Clean, fresh fruit, not too extracted, refreshing style. The acidity is high, the fruit is vibrant and the palate is much more convincing than the rather simple nose (bubble gum, ripe cherries). Lovely to drink now but it will not keep long. GV (FC) 14%

Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah. Vines planted in 2001 in Ulldemolins at 750m. Low yields 2,000 kg/ha. Oak ageing. Santi Vinyes comments ‘this is a refreshing wine thanks to the altitude of the Ulldemolins to the north of Montsant’.
A classical style with clear evidence of oak and already mature. Clay-like tannins and high acidity. The wine is extreme, concentrated and ready to drink. It shows some oxidative notes. It has dairy flavours with plenty of sweet spices on the back palate. A classical Montsant representing GV (it can be bought for €6 in Spain). (FC) 13.7%

Garnatxa, Merlot, Carinyena, Cabernet Sauvignon. 25 to 45 years old vines planted in Cornudella at 575 m.
Really ripe style, with spirity notes, prunes, damson fruit and slightly meaty on the nose. The palate is fresher and more dynamic than expected from the nose, with density, earthiness and a recognisable Montsant style. A very adequate glass of wine if you like fully ripe wines. (FC) 14%

This is one of the most exciting projects in Montsant, launched in 2002. Behind it are names such as René Barbier, Christopher Cannan and Fernando Zamora. It has inspired by a very special wine made from a breathtaking vineyard of Garnatxa planted in 1895 in the high quality village of La Figuera at 650 m. It is by far the most expensive wine in Montsant with a retail price of almost €100. Once you have visited the vineyard you will never forget its beauty. Hand harvested, intense selection table, completely destemmed and a third grape selection. Fermented with a long maceration (four to five weeks) and aged in the same 4,000 litre conical oak vat for 14-16 months.
This is not a wine for a blind tasting; you really need to know what you are tasting to be able to appreciate it properly. The wine shows a somehow static, very ripe nose, some port-like aromas, an iron character and stewed fruits. The vineyards are so old that the fragility of the wine deserves time and patience. As a sommelier I had very good experiences with this wine but I suspect when I tasted it blind at the Consejo was not the best day for it. In the mouth the tannins are delicate, the wine is light, soft and it has almost a salty profile with a bitter aftertaste. It never leaves anybody unmoved. I felt slightly sad after uncovering the bottle because I probably had not enough sensitivity to appreciate this wine. (FC) 15%

Garnatxa. Vines planted between 1930 and 1980 in the village of La Figuera up to 650 m. The yields are really low: 1,200 kg/ha. Hand harvested. Twelve months in French oak barrels.
Very ripe, following the standards of Montsant wines. It has lots of tannins that are slightly drying. The nose shows caramel, coffee, cedar and dried fruits with high complexity and a decreasing intensity after five minutes. Prominent alcohol and ready to drink now. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. Project launched in 1999. Vines planted in 1940 in La Figuera at 700 m. Long maceration during fermentation and 12 months in French oak barrels.
The wine shows maturity and will not keep long. The wine impacts in the front palate which is juicy and earthy rather than on the back palate. Lots of sweet spices, dairy notes and hints of oxidation. I would have been delighted to taste a younger vintage as Laurona is a producer I have lots of respect for. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah. Vines planted in 1940 in La Figuera at 700 m. 15 months ageing in French barriques.
The wine has concentration and density, with many ripe and integrated tannins. Highly aromatic, coffee, cinnamon, cloves, marmalade and ripe black fruit. An emphatic wine that is really pleasurable. It is modern in style with a marked oak and solid texture. Quite an exciting glass of wine. (FC) 15%

Ull de Llebre, Garnatxa, Monastrell. This historic winery was set up in 1965, and the vineyards were planted in Darmós in 1985 at 200 m. Quite an early harvest (beginning of September). Produced as a young wine without oak and fermented in underground old cement tanks.
I love the authenticity and the non-pretentious style of this wine which is deliberately made to be drunk young. Its youth excites me because  of the dynamic nose (slightly reductive but opening up quickly), very bright red fruit, freshness and length. Not really extracted but savoury. Definitely a VGV wine that would be a perfect choice for an easy drink by the glass (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carinyena. Vines were planted between 1996-2000 in Masroig (120-190 m). The winery is situated in the Siurana valley. Each grape variety is situated in a different area: Cabernet Sauvignon very close to the river, Garnatxa at higher altitude facing north and Carinyena facing west. Fermentation and maceration during 8-10 days. 60% of the wine is aged in used French oak.
It has a very ripe style with baked fruits, sweet spices and cherry liquor. The taste is concentrated in the front of the palate. Hints of oxidation in the nose that make me think it is evolving rather prematurely. The texture is very juicy and voluminous with perfectly integrated tannins. (FC) 14.5%

Carinyena, Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon. Old vineyards (1907-1960) situated in Masroig village at 200-400 m. Historical co-operative producing wine since 1917. Yields below 3,000 kg/ha. Very long ageing process; French barrels for 17 months, tank for 10 months and finally bottle for 12 months. Carles Escolar the technical director comments, ‘We select old vines from different types of soils, slate, clay and limestone. The Carinyena is the most important grape in our village’.
Classical wine developing a very positive bouquet. Solid and concentrated palate with enough freshness to counterbalance this. Long and complex with firm tannins. A very good example of the racy and classy style of a Carinyena in Masroig. The palate is tasty and looks better than the nose. This co-operative is quality focused and can achieve great results as they have an enormous old-vine potential. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Ull de Llebre. This is the recently-launched project (2008) of Joan Asens, a great viticulturist and winemaker who has been working together with Alvaro Palacios for 17 years. Les Comes d’Orto comes from Masroig with vineyards from 23 to 70 years old at 120 to 280 m and producing low yields (2,000-2,500 kg/ha). Fermentation takes place in 500 litre casks with 28 days of maceration. Aged in old (four to five year old) French barrels for 12 months. Joan Asens says, ‘the oak intervention needs to be really subtle’.
A very pleasant wine: modern, clean but not too obvious in the nose with lots of fresh blackberries, a green hint and very good oak integration. The palate is mouthwatering despite its concentration. Juicy with very ripe tannins. This is an exciting wine that is more physical than aromatic. (FC) 14.1%

Carinyena. From a very old plot dating back to 1936 located in Masroig at 100 m. Low yields (2,000 kg/ha.). This is one of the top wines Joan Asens is producing in Montsant and has a retail price of €30. Fermentation takes place in 500 litre casks with 28 days of maceration. Aged in old (four and five year-old) French barrels for 12 months. Joan Asens points out, ‘Carinyena is a very important grape variety in Montsant and is particularly extensive in Masroig with lots of sunshine hours and low altitude that permits a long ripening process that is very useful for ripening this grape’.
This wine needs decanting and enough time to breathe. Carinyena can be slightly reduced and this certainly is. However, it has a superb texture with firm, fine-grained tannins, freshness, vibrant fruit and is not over-extracted at all (it's actually quite delicate). Very pleasant and expressive when given enough time. A very pleasant drink for a 100% Carinyena. (FC) 14.2%

Garnatxa. Single vineyard (Mas de la Notaria planted in 1930) in Masroig (240 m). Pre phylloxera clone of Garnatxa. Three different picking times for less than a hectare. Sandy, limestone soils and very low yields. Biodynamic viticulture. 11 months in French barriques. Not clarified nor filtered. Less than 2,000 bottles. €40 retail price.
Considered one of the top wines in Montsant, this bold wine is made from really old Garnatxa. Very pleasant wine, very open and ready to drink with many aromas (cloves, tea leaf, cedar, marmalade). Extreme ripeness achieving a soft and delicate palate. It is wide rather than long transmitting the potential of a Garntaxa. The extreme ripening does not let the wine express itself to the full. I love the delicacy of the texture which is difficult to find in the region. (FC) 14%

Carinyena from nine different old vineyards in Masroig (1940 – 1950) on clay soils (300 m). Harvested quite late in early November. Separate fermentation of each ‘tros’ (Catalan name for a part of a vineyard). Ambient yeasts. Aged for 12 months in used French barrels. Not clarified nor filtered. Very low sulphur. 6,000 bottles.
This wine can be bought for less than €20 retail and is an absolute must-taste GV wine. An enormous wine full of concentrated sweet black fruit, black pepper and dried herbs. The texture is almost inky, really charged with ripe fruit with superb rich tannins. Ambitious but spectacular. Leaves no one indifferent. A very moving 100% Carinyena wine. (FC) 14%

Garnatxa, Merlot. Vineyards from 1956-1970 planted in Capçanes at 500 m. Extremely tiny yields of  900 kg/ha. Joan Ignasi Domènech is a great Garnatxa supporter and says ‘Garnatxa gives warm but fresh wines, ripe aromas but also complexity based on forest floor, fennel, resin and rosemary’.
The nose shows evolution and an already mature bouquet while the palate reveals a fresher stage of maturity. The main aromas are figs, leather and hints of coffee. Very pleasant, rounded texture with chalky tannins and warming alcohol. The wine is pleasant and very drinkable – not over-extracted, more voluminous than long. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa Peluda, a single plot planted in Capçanes dating back  to 1956. Situated at 500 m. Indecently low yields (500 kg/ha.). Fermented in open 500 litre French oak cask with ambient yeasts. Joan Ignasi Domènech points out,‘Garnatxa Peluda transmits warmth and freshness. I always try to make the ageing as subtle as possible’.
This is a great bottle of wine. It tastes like a top Priorat with graphite, lead pencils, violets, super-small black berries. It has clean and respectful oak with concentrated fruit and complexity. You could happily drink it now although it might not keep for too long. Mouthfeel is outstanding and the wine is physically really well structured with firm, solid but polished tannins. Ripe but well-designed, the nose keeps changing after 30 minutes in a decanter. The retail price of €30 means it is not cheap but it's worth it. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Garnatxa Peluda, Carinyena. Old vines planted in Capçanes (1940) at 400 m. Harvested late September. Yielding 22 hl/ha, sorting table, destemmed and fermented in 400 litre French oak barrels (pigeage). 16 months of ageing in the same barrels. Retail price €39.
Mature nose (hints of acetate), dried herbs, spice and cedar. The wine is well made and is representative of the region but slightly static (the aromas remained unchanged in the glass). In the palate it has rich fruit which seems ripe and warm. (FC) 15%

Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnatxa, Carinyena. From 25-40 years old vines planted in Capçanes and Guiamets. Harvest takes place in October. 12 months in French oak barrels. Retail price €12.
Capçanes is a quality driven co-operative that dates back to 1933. Their wines flood restaurants in Catalunya and wine professionals feel really proud of them. The wine is modern in style, hedonistic, easy to enjoy, juicy and super pleasant. Quite straightforward in aroma with concentrated blueberry fruit. More voluminous and spectacular than long and complex. Lots of concentration, lots of fruit, lots of wine. Am I tasting Priorat? GV (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Ull de Llebre, Cabernet Sauvignon. 15-30 year old vines at 200-400 m. Diversity of vineyards from Capçanes and Guiamets. Nine months in American and French oak.
This is a correct wine, easy drinking and not really concentrated. Sweet caramel, coffee and simple black fruit. The tannins are slightly drying and the mid palate somewhat hollow. Some farmyard notes on the back palate. Simple drinking wine. (FC) 14%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah. Winery dates back to 1942 with 30-40 year-old vines planted in Els Guiamets and Serra d’Almos at 100-300 m.
The fruit is slightly overripe, with toasty oak and charred fruit characteristics. It is not too complex but has concentrated ripe fruit. Rounded with a light charge of firm, harsh tannins. Not too long. Correct enough. (FC) 14%

Carinyena. Vineyards from 1940 planted in Serra d’Almos at 400 m.
Low yields (2,000 kg/ha). Really ripe modern wine, with clean, straightforward ripe black fruit. The wine is not complex but has prominent fruit and an almost inky texture.Really extracted, creamy and chewy. Full of sweet spices. Evident but clean oak. Well made, easy, pleasant and uncomplicated. (FC) 14.5%

Carinyena, Garnatxa, Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. Co-operative founded in 1963. Old vines (1940-1950) from La Serra d’Almos at 300m. Yields of 8,000 kg/ha. Short maceration 10-15 days. 12 months ageing in barrels of different sizes.
The wine is really mature although it shows density in the glass, clear notes of evolution such as toasty bread, oak and dried figs. Traditional winemaking style with drying tannins. I would have preferred to drink it younger. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Carinyena. Vines planted 1940-1960 in Marçà at 300m. Low yields (1,500 kg/ha). Hand harvested, long maceration 20-30 days, pumping-over, ageing 11 months in used French oak. Unfiltered. Josep Maria Vendrell says, ‘The most representative blend in the region is Garnatxa and Carinyena. Garnatxa is more delicate and floral while Carinyena has more muscle and minerality. My great grandfather planted the vineyard that I am using today.’
Reductive nose opens up quickly. Very ripe style. Pleasant although it has a warming sensation and a short acidity. Straightforward black fruit and rounded texture. Pleasant but not exciting. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon. Vines planted in Falset (1990) at 300m. Six months ageing in barrels.
This wine needs decanting. It's really austere with a rough texture but lots of primary concentrated fruit. It is a wild wine, without finesse but authentic. If you like funky wines, go for it. It might benefit from longer ageing. (FC) 15%

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah. Vines planted in Falset (1988) at 350 m. Standard yields 4,000 kg/ha.
12 months barrel ageing. Mature wine that is slightly warming and is without a dynamic nose. Traditional winemaking style with a drying finish. The wine has ripe fruit and a meaty texture. Here is an example of a traditional wine with more than eight years in bottle. It would probably be very pleasurable if enjoyed with meat. (FC) 14.5%

Garnatxa, Cabernet Sauvignon. 50 year-old vines planted in Falset at 350-500m. Centenarian co-operative (1913). Ageing 10 months in French oak.
This wine has aged well. It's already mature but very pleasant. Traditional style showing leather, tobacco and ripe black fruit. The tannins are soft and polished and the flavours are complex. This very good bottle showing that some Montsant can age well. Very interesting wine although it has a slightly dry finish. (FC) 14.5%

Carinyena, Syrah, Garnatxa. Vineyards planted in Falset at 300-360 m. Destemmed and fermented with ambient yeasts. Fermented in 4,000 litre oak vats with a long maceration (28-32 days). Long ageing (20-31 months) with part in the same vats and part in 300 litre French oak barrels. Venus is always looking for north-facing slopes in order to have a longer ripening season.
Slight reduction but the wine opened up quickly. Fruit-driven wine that tastes quite young despite its age. Made for pleasure. The balance is very good, combining freshness and consistent fruit although is not extremely complex. (FC) 14%

Garnatxa, Carinyena, Cabernet Sauvignon. The age of the vines ranges from 1967 to 1997, all them situated in Pradell de la Teixeta at 425 m. Yields remain low at 2,800 kg/ha. 12 months in French and American oak. The wines spend three years in bottle before being released. Isolated winery situated in zone six.
Very good to drink now, this wine has aged well. Well made with a vinous character, pleasant and simple. The palate is slightly warm, full of dairy notes and slightly hollow due to its age. It is a reasonable drink. (FC) 14.5%