Montsant:  The Montsant wine region is situated in the province of Tarragona covering 2,000 hectares and consisting of 50 vineyards (Bodegas), which produce 7 millon liters of wine annually. Montsant is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) ( Denominació d'Origen in Catalan) for wine located in the province of Tarragona (Catalona, Spain). It was previously known as the Falset subzone of Tarragona DO, and was created as a separate DO in 2002. Montsant takes its name from the Montsant mountains in the area. The Montsant DO almost completely surrounds the more famous Priorat DOQ. The vineyards extend along the mountainsides among olives groves, forests and rocky outcrops. 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.

The soils are lime bearing over a granite and slate subsoil. The vineyards are at a height of about 360 m above sea level. 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 hail or frost.

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Varietals: Garnacha, Carinena, Tempranillo

About the Producer: Els Guiamets - The Cellars are located in the municipality of Guiamets, a town that sits in a volcanic valley surrounded by mountains, giving their wines a marked peculiarity. Els Guiamets is a coop located in Catalonia. The Cooperativa Agrícola Els Guiamets was founded in 1913. At this present time has 42 associates with 150 hec. of vineyards. The production of our wines combines traditional methods and high technology, always focusing on the artisan aspect of the work.

The harvest is manual because the small size of the vineyards as well as the geographic characteristics, makes very difficult to use machinery. A portion of the harvest is allocated to the production of young wines, while the wine obtained from the best quality vineyards is used to produce the "Crianza" wines. Red wines are aged on French Allier and American oak barrels for 11 or 12 months. These barrels are located underground, maintaining in a natural way the best conditions to keep wine (temperature, humidity) that are needed for the aging.

Tasting Notes:  A beautiful intense red with aromas of ripe fruits and jam combine harmoniously to exhibit a well-balanced fruited flavor with round tannins.

Recommended Food Pairings: Red meats, potages, and cheeses.

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