2018 Cellers Sant Rafel Montsant Joana

	small family business with organic methods
	beautiful garnacha dominance without oak maturing
	smooth and full at the same time; ideal winter wine
	delicious with spicy dishes, cheeses and baguettes

Tasting note Joana Montsant

Bright red in color and dusty and fruity in scent, with fresh red fruit and a mild spiciness. Full, sultry commitment and round and persistent taste, with beautiful fruit in the aftertaste.

Description

The small wine region of Montsant, west of Tarragona, is one of the hidden treasures of Catalonia. During a large comparative tasting, we were impressed by the traditional Cellers Sant Rafel, one of only sixty producers in this promising area.

The family business has been owned by Xavi and Pilar Peñas since 1996, both from the region. They renewed the vineyard and cellar and have bottled the entire production since 2007. Xavi is a great winemaker and has years of experience on the exclusive Gran Clos in Priorat. The winery now produces completely organic on around forty hectares of vineyard. But Xavi does not apply for an official bio-certificate, due to the excessive paperwork for its relatively small production.

Joana is mainly made from the grape of this region: garnacha. The grapes ripen here for a long time, until well into October, and reach a perfect ripeness. The supplement of approximately 15% merlot ensures a full and soft taste. The wine deliberately does not mature on oak and is comparable in style to a good southern rhône.

Beautiful, full-bodied red wines are made from Mediterranean grapes such as garnacha (grenache) and carignan.