Montsant Negre “Terroir Sense Frontieres” (2021) - Terroir Al Limit

This red wine is produced in Spain, specifically in Catalonia, a region known for its high-quality viticulture. It is made mainly from Grenache and Carignan grapes, which give it a unique fruity taste. Another interesting feature of this wine is that it is made using organic and biodynamic methods, respecting the environment and preserving the authentic flavours of the terroir.

The appellation: Montsant DO

Montsant DO is an emerging but already highly regarded appellation in Catalonia, in north-eastern Spain. Established in 2001, it stretches around the more famous Priorat area, with which it shares both soil and climate conditions and the varieties grown, but with a more accessible and versatile profile, while still retaining personality, authenticity and great oenological value.

What to eat with Montsant Negre “Terroir Sense Frontieres”

Who makes it: Terroir Al Limit

Led by Dominik Huber, a central figure in the winemaking renaissance of Priorat, the winery was founded in 2001 as a project shared with Eben Sadie, in the heart of Torroja del Priorat. The aim: to restore an authentic and minimalist viticulture, focused on wines of infusion rather than extraction, free from new oak and over-extraction.

The vine of Montsant Negre “Terroir Sense Frontieres”

Grenache

Grenache (also known as Garnacha in Spain) is one of the most widely planted black grape varieties in the world, probably native to north-eastern Spain and widespread in southern France, where it plays a key role in the blends of the southern Rhône, as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. It is a versatile grape, capable of producing fruity, warm red wines, fragrant and fresh rosés, and also naturally sweet wines (VDN). A late-ripening variety, Grenache loves warm, sunny climates and is at its best on poor, stony soils. Grenache wines are recognisable for their notes of ripe red fruit, sweet spices and a pleasant roundness on the palate, with soft tannins and often high alcohol.

Carignano

Carignano is a black grape variety with a long history, known for its depth of colour, its substantial tannins and its ability to give structured, rich and long-lived wines. Historically widespread across the Mediterranean basin, it is known by different names: Carignan in France (above all in Languedoc and Roussillon), Cariñena in Spain, and Carignano in Italy, where it has found its most typical expression in south-western Sardinia, and in particular in the Sulcis. In this area, thanks to the sandy soils and the dry, breezy climate, Carignano ripens perfectly, giving soft, warm and round wines, often from pre-phylloxera bush vines.

Montsant Negre “Terroir Sense Frontieres”: the area

Climate: Mediterranean

Altitude: Low to mid altitude (200–500 m above sea level)

Soil: Clay

Geographical setting: Hilly

Profile of Montsant Negre “Terroir Sense Frontieres”

Primary aromas: Cherry, Mediterranean herbs, Raspberry, Plum

Secondary aromas: Mediterranean scrub, Spices

Tertiary aromas: Leather, Smoke, Wet earth

Tasting notes: This Catalan gem shows an intense red colour with purple shades. On the nose it offers a fascinating bouquet of ripe red fruit, spice and wet earth, enriched by a mineral touch. On the palate it proves balanced, with a solid but unobtrusive structure. The tannins are fine and well integrated, while the acidity is lively, supporting a long finish. This is a wine that expresses its terroir in exemplary fashion, showing remarkable complexity while remaining highly drinkable. It is a wine that promises to evolve beautifully with age.