Montsant Wine Region

The Montsant (DO) Wine Region

The Spanish Wine region Montsant has made a significant leap over the last 10 years in terms of quality, and some of the best Montsant wines are now at same the level as the best wines of the neighbor wine region Priorat.

Location and climate

The DO Montsant is located in the Priorat region (Tarragona). It is composed of Baix Priorat, a part of Alt Priorat and several municipalities in the Ribera d'Ebre. In total there are 16 municipalities within Montsant DO: La Bisbal de Falset, Cabacés, Capçanes, Cornudella de Montsant, La Figuera, Els Guiamets, Marçá, Margalef, Els Masroig, Pradell de la Teixeta, La Torre de Fontaubella, Ulldemolins, Falset, El Molar, Darmós and La Serra d’Almos.

The climate is typically Mediterranean in Montsant: the area is surrounded by mountains and has significant temperature contrasts between day and night. These climatical conditions are ideal for the maturation of the grapes.

The soils are mainly of three types:

Compact and calcareous soils where sedimentary materials predominate,
Granite sand: red areas with high clay content
Hard soils that consist of small and thin layer of slate, known as llicorella (also famous from the neigbor wine region, Priorat.

Grapes used

The folllowing grapes are the grapes permitted by the local authorities

The Grenache and Carignan are native varieties of Montsant and are the essence of the wine production in Montsant.

Whites grapes varieties: Chardonnay, Garnacha Blanca (White Grenache), Macabeo, Moscatel de grano pequeño (small grain), Pansal, Parellada.

Reds grapes varieties: Cabernet sauvignon, Carignan (Cariñena), Grenache (Garnatxa), Garnacha peluda, Merlot, Monastrell, Picapoll, Syrah, Tempranillo and Mazuela.

Characteristics of the wines from Montsant (DO)

White wines: the wines are silky. Wines made from Garnacha Blanca in general have body, elegant aromas with hints of Mediterranean scrub grass and subtleness. The wines made with Macabeo are lighter, fresh and fruitier.

Rosé wines: The rosé wines are gaining presence in the D.O. Montsant. They are usually made with Garnacha (grenache) and Syrah varieties. The palate is fruity, with presence of berries.

Red wines: The red wines are the most distinctive wines from Montsant (DO). They have a dark red color, and are made from native grape varieties like Grenache (Garnatxa) and Carignan (carinyena), although these are many times mixed with international grape typesvarieties. The red wines are full bodied fruity wines. Due to the characteristics of the soils in Montsant (llicorella), the wines get a strong mineral note.

Traditional wines: (sweet) liquor wines made primarily of Grenache. The palate is oily, and the aromas and flavors have raisins and fruit notes.

Important wineries in DO Montsant

Acústic Celler. Featured wines: Acústic white, Acústic Red, Braó red.
Agrícola Aubacs I Solans. Featured wines: Prosit red crianza.
Anguera Domenech. Featured wines: Vinya Gasó red crianza, Reclot red.
Buil & Giné. Featured wines: 17-XI red, Babaoix red.
Celler Cedó Anguera. Featured wines: Anexe red, Clónic red.
Celler Cooperativa Cornudella. Featured wines: Codolar, Castell de Siurana Selecció de Costers red, Castell de Siurana Premium red, Castella de Siurana Mistela Vino de Licor (liquor wine)
Celler de Capçanes. Featured wines: Mas Donís White, Mas Donís rose, Mas Donís red, Flor de Primavera Peraj Ha’Abib red, Cabrida red, Lasendal Garnatxa red fermented in barrel, Mas Tortó red crianza, Mas Collet red fermented in barrel, Capçanes rose, Ninot rose, Costers del Gravet red, Vall del Calàs red, Cabrida red, Ninot Selecció red reserva, Ninot red, Pansal del Calàs wine liquor.
Celler DosTerras. Featured wines: Eterna Flor White fermented in barrel, DosTerras red, Vespres red.
Celler El Masroig. Featured wines: Les Sorts white fermented in barrel, Les Sorts Rosat, Mistela Negra del Montsant, Les Sorts red, Solà Fred red, Mas Roig red crianza, Etnic red, Castell de Les Pinyeres red, Les Sorts Sycar red, Les Sorts Vinyes Velles red crianza, Mistela Molt Vella del Masroig wine liquor.
Celler Els Guiamets. Featured wines: Vall Sellada White fermented in barrel, Lomets White, Lomets rose, Mas dels Mets red, Lomets red, Gran Mets red, Isis red.
Celler Laurona. Featured wines: Laurona red, 6 Vinyes de Laurona red.
Celler Los Trovadores. Featured wines: Karma de Drac red, Gallicant red, Citareus red.
Cellers Baronia del Montsant. Featured wines: Englora red crianza, Clos d’Englora AV 14 red.
Cellers Can Blau. Featured wines: Can Blau red, Mas de Can Blau red.
Cellers Capafons-Ossó. Family celler dedicated to vineyards for five generations. Capafons-Ossó has vineyards in two neighbor regions: D.O. Montsant and D.O. Priorat. They are different because of the sun, weather, grape varieties, geographic and history. Featured wines (DO Montsant): Masia Esplanes red, Vessants red crianza, Roigenc rose.
Cellers Sant Rafel. Featured wines: Solpost rose, Solpost red, Solpost red crianza.
Ètim. Featured wines: Ètim white, Castell de Falset white, Castell de Falset red, Ètim Verema Tardana white, Ètim Verema Tardana red, Ètim Rosat rose, Imus Selecció de Vinyes red, Ètim Negre red, Ètim Grenache red, Ètim Verema Sobremadura Selecció Vinyes Velles red, Ètim l’Esparver red, Ètim Selection Syrah red.
Joan d’Anguera. Featured wines: Joan d’Anguera red, Finca L’Argata red, Planella red, Bugader red.
Mas de l’Abundancia Viticultors. Featured wines: Flvminis red, Mas de l’Abundancia red.
Mas Perinet. Featured wines: Clos María White.
Noguerals. Featured wines: Corbatera red.
Orcella. Featured wines: Orcella Mima red, Ardea red crianza, Orsus red.
Orto Vins. A winehouse that opend in by four friends. All the grapes come from the estates’own vineyards. Featured wines: Dolç d’Orto White, Blanc d’Orto White, Les Comes d’Orto red, Les Pujoles red crianza, Les Tallades de Cal Nicolau red crianza, Palell red crianza, Dolç d’Orto dulce natural, Selecció Orto.
Portal del Montsant. Featured wines: Santbru White, Santbru red, Trossos Tros White, Trossos Tros Magnum White, Trossos Tros Magnum red, Brunus Rosé rose, Bruberry red, Trossos red, Brunus red.
Vendrell Rived. Featured wines: Semal red, L’Alleu Selecció red, Sere red.
Venus La Universal. Featured wines: Dido White, Dido red, Venus red.
Vinyes d’en Gabriel. Featured wines: L’Heravi red crianza.
Vinyes Domènech. Featured wines: Furvus red (garnatxa, merlot), Furvus red, Teixar red (100% Garnatxa).
Viñas del Montsant. Featured wines: Fra Guerau rose, Fra Guerau red crianza (40% Merlot, 30% Garnatxa, 20% Syrah, 10% Cabernet sauvignon).