Guix Vermell Negre 2018

The wine that was intended to be called Montals is now 2018 Guix Vermell, as the Montals name was already registered. It comes from a vineyard located next to Les Manyes in Priorat, a vineyard that they purchased together with Les Manyes (from Terroir al Limit). This is the first vineyard as you cross from Priorat into Montsant, so the soils and climate are basically the same. The vines were planted some 60 years ago at some 800 meters in altitude, and they do a selection of the best parts from the four hectares they own there. The wine fermented and matured in clay amphorae, with a short élevage of six months and then was put into bottle. There are notes of raspberries, red cherries, acid strawberry, violets and spices; it's very balanced and insinuating, open and pure, elegant and harmonious. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannins. I tasted this next to the 2016 Les Manyes from Terroir al Limit, and the wines are very different; they have completely different aromas, and there is more depth and complexity in the wine from Priorat. But this is really superb, and it's still very young and should also develop in bottle. 1,600 bottles produced.

This is a crazy wine with such depth and compact character with blue fruit and shaved graphite. Full to medium body. Very complex and complete with excellent texture. Red chilies and rust. Extremely long and creamy with excellent structure. Pure garnacha.