Montsant () is a Spanish
Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) (''Denominació d'Origen Protegida'' in
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
) for
wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
located in the province of
Tarragona
Tarragona (, ; Phoenician: ''Tarqon''; la, Tarraco) is a port city located in northeast Spain on the Costa Daurada by the Mediterranean Sea. Founded before the fifth century BC, it is the capital of the Province of Tarragona, and part of Tar ...
(
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
) 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.
DO Regulations, published in DOGC no. 4414 dated 28-6-2005.
In Catalan
Montsant takes its name from the Montsant Mountains in the area.
Under the auspices of the DOP Montsant, the region has seen rapid growth, starting with 28 official cellars in 2002 which grew to number 55 currently. Approximately 94% of the production is of red wine with 62% exportation outside Spain, 28% consumed in Catalonia, and 10% sold to the rest of Spain.
Geography
Montsant DOP almost completely surrounds the more famous Priorat (DOQ)
Priorat is a Denominació d'Origen Qualificada (DOQ) for Catalan wines produced in the Priorat county, in the province of Tarragona, in the southwest of Catalonia.
The DOQ covers 11 municipalities. It primarily produces powerful red wines, wh ...
. The vineyards extend along the mountainsides among olive groves, forests and rocky outcrops. The denomination covers the area of Priorat
Priorat () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. The central part of the comarca, "Priorat històric," produces the highly regarded wines that are certified under the DOQ Priorat. Wines from elsewhere in the comarca are certified as DO M ...
comarca that is not part of DOQ Priorat as well as part of the neighboring comarca of Ribera d'Ebre
Ribera d'Ebre () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. in the Terres de l'Ebre, and that extends to both sides of the river Ebro between the reservoir of Riba-roja and Miravet
Miravet is a municipality in the comarca of Ribera d'Ebre in the ...
. In total, 17 villages are included: La Bisbal de Falset
La Bisbal de Falset is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Priorat in Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by it ...
, Cabacés, Capçanes
Capçanes is a Catalan village in the province of Tarragona in north-eastern Spain. It is situated in the comarca of Priorat.
Geography
Capçanes is situated about 7 km (4.4 mi) south of Falset, 40 km (25 mi) west of Tarrago ...
, Cornudella de Montsant, La Figuera
La Figuera is a town in Priorat, Catalonia, Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, nat ...
, els Guiamets
Els Guiamets is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Priorat in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the south of the ''comarca''. A local road links the village to the N-420 road between Falset and Móra la Nova. The Guiamets reservoir is on ...
, Marçà
Marçà is a municipality in the comarca of Priorat, Tarragona Province, Catalonia, Spain.
History
In medieval times, after the area had been reconquered from the Saracens, the town became part of the Barony of Entença.
The now ruined Sant Mar ...
, Margalef
Margalef is a village in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the edge of Montsant and is a popular ecotourism destination, especially among rock climbers
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural r ...
, El Masroig
El Masroig is a village in the province of Tarragona and autonomous community of Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' ...
, Pradell de la Teixeta
Pradell de la Teixeta is a small village in Catalonia, Spain, located in the comarca of Priorat
Priorat () is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. The central part of the comarca, "Priorat històric," produces the highly regarded wines that ...
, La Torre de Fontaubella
La Torre de Fontaubella is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Priorat in Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' ...
, Ulldemolins
Ulldemolins is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Priorat in Catalonia, Spain.
This town is located among rocky mountains, the Serra de la Llena, the Serra de Montsant and the Prades Mountains
Prades Mountains, also known as Muntanyes de ...
, along with portions of Falset, Garcia, El Molar, Móra la Nova and Tivissa
Tivissa is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia, Spain. It is located below the La Llena massif. As well as the village of Tivissa itself, the municipality also includes the village of La Serra d'Almos, at the feet of th ...
(the sub-villages of Darmós and La Serra d'Almos
La Serra d'Almos is a village located within the municipal term of Tivissa, in the Ribera d'Ebre comarca, Catalonia, Spain. History
Administratively La Serra d'Almos was formerly a municipality in its own right since 1787. In 1940, one year after ...
.
Soils
Vineyards range from 200 to 700 meters in elevation and sit on three main soil types: chalky clay, granitic sand, and slate. The elevation tends to increase towards the Serra de Montalt
Montalt is a mountain that is part of the Serra de Montalt, Serra de Llaberia in Catalonia, Spain. It has an elevation of above sea level.
There is a triangulation station (''256141001'') at the summit.
See also
*Tivissa
Tivissa is a munici ...
in the southwest and towards the Serra de Montsant in the northwest. There is a large degree of variation from the small, relatively flat plain around Falset and Marçà to the higher elevation village of La Figuera that sits on a mountain range at 575 meters.
Climate
The climate is Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
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.
Authorised grape varieties
The authorised grape varieties are:
* Red: Garnatxa Negra, Carinyena, Ull de llebre, Syrah
Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse B ...
, Merlot, and 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 Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebanon' ...
* White: Garnatxa Blanca, Macabeu / Viura, Chardonnay
Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern French wine, France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from English wine, Englan ...
, Moscatell d’Alexandria, and Xarel·lo
Xarel·lo () is a white grape variety of Spanish origin specially grown in Catalonia. It is a cross between Brustiano faux and 'Gibi', a synonym for the Spanish Hebén grape.
With Macabeo and Parellada, Xarel·lo is one of the three traditiona ...
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 Grenache and Carignan. Production also includes white wines, rosé wines, sweet red wines and 'vi ranci' style wines made using a Solera
''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 ...
system.
Kosher
DOP Montsant has the distinction of being the only region in Catalonia (and one of only a handful) in Spain where kosher wine is produced.
See also
*Catalan wine
Catalan wines are those that are produced in the wine region of Catalonia. Occasionally, the appellation is applied to some French wine made in the Catalan region of Roussillon also known as Northern Catalonia or the ''Pays catalans''. The city of ...
References
External links
D.O.P. Montsant official website
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Catalan wine
Wine regions of Spain