Montsant DO
Encyclopedia
Montsant is a Spanish Denominación de Origen
(DO) (Denominació d'Origen in Catalan) for wine
located in the province of Tarragona
(Catalonia
, Spain
) and covers 12 municipalities. It was previously known as the Falset
subzone of Tarragona (DO)
, and was created as a separate DO in the early 2000s. Regional approval came in 2001, and from 2002 wines were sold as Montsant rather than Tarragona.
Montsant takes its name from the Montsant mountains
in the area. There are currently about 2050 hectares (5,065.7 acre) of Montsant vineyards, with an increasing trend.
. The vineyards extend along the mountainsides among olives groves, forests and rocky outcrops.
in the northwest.
, Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo
, Moscatel, Pansal and Parellada
.
The authorised red varieties are: Cabernet Sauvignon
, Cariñena, Garnacha
, Garnacha Peluda, Merlot
, Monastrell, Picapoll Nera, Syrah and Tempranillo
.
system.
Denominación de Origen
Denominación de Origen is part of a regulatory classification system primarily for Spanish wines but also for other foodstuffs like honey, meats and condiments. In wines it parallels the hierarchical system of France and Italy although Rioja and Sherry preceded the full system...
(DO) (Denominació d'Origen in Catalan) for wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
located in the province of Tarragona
Tarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
(Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) and covers 12 municipalities. It was previously known as the Falset
Falset
Falset can refer to:* Falset, Tarragona, the principal village of the comarca of the Priorat in Catalonia* Falset , pitch-control of a harmonicof a brass instrument...
subzone of Tarragona (DO)
Tarragona (DO)
Tarragona is a Spanish Denominación de Origen for wines located in the province of Tarragona and covers three distinct areas: the Camp de Tarragona, a part of the Priorat comarca and a part of the Ribera d'Ebre comarca...
, and was created as a separate DO in the early 2000s. Regional approval came in 2001, and from 2002 wines were sold as Montsant rather than Tarragona.
Montsant takes its name from the Montsant mountains
Serra de Montsant
Serra de Montsant is a mountain chain in Catalonia, Spain.It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Roca Corbatera , Piló dels Senyalets and la Cogulla ....
in the area. There are currently about 2050 hectares (5,065.7 acre) of Montsant vineyards, with an increasing trend.
Geography
Montsant DO almost completely surrounds the more famous Priorat (DOQ)Priorat (DOQ)
Priorat is a Spanish Denominación de Origen Calificada for wines produced in the Priorat county to the south-west of Catalonia...
. The vineyards extend along the mountainsides among olives groves, forests and rocky outcrops.
Soils
The soils are lime bearing over a granite and slate subsoil. The vineyards are at a height of about 360 m above sea level, though the altitude tends to increase towards the Serra de Montalt in the southwest and towards the Serra de MontsantSerra de Montsant
Serra de Montsant is a mountain chain in Catalonia, Spain.It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Roca Corbatera , Piló dels Senyalets and la Cogulla ....
in the northwest.
Climate
The climate is Mediterranean with continental influences. Summers are dry and annual rainfall is about 650 mm, falling mainly in autumn. There is only an occasional risk of hailstones or frost.Grape varieties
The authorised white varieties are: ChardonnayChardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Garnacha Blanca, Macabeo
Macabeo
Viura, also called Macabeo or Macabeu is a white variety of wine grape.It is widely grown in the Rioja region of northeastern Spain, the Cava producing areas south of Barcelona, and the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France...
, Moscatel, Pansal and Parellada
Parellada
Parellada is a white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava, which is primarily produced in Catalonia...
.
The authorised red varieties are: Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Cariñena, Garnacha
Grenache
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
, Garnacha Peluda, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Monastrell, Picapoll Nera, Syrah and Tempranillo
Tempranillo
Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain. It is the main grape used in Rioja, and is often referred to as Spain's "noble grape". Its name is the diminutive of the Spanish temprano , a reference to the fact that it ripens several weeks...
.
Wine styles
The main style of Montsant is powerful red wines, which can be similar to the wines of Priorat when they are made from old vine Garnacha and Cariñena. Production also includes white wines, rosé wines, sweet red wines and rancio style wines made using a SoleraSolera
Solera is a process for aging liquids such as wine, beer, vinegar, and brandy, by fractional blending in such a way that the finished product is a mixture of ages, with the average age gradually increasing as the process continues over many years. A solera is literally the set of barrels or other...
system.
External links
- http://www.winesfromspain.com
- http://www.domontsant.com