Comunica
– Falset (Tarragona), Spain
Montsant is where the smart money is going. This Catalan region almost completely surrounds the legendary Priorat, and for years it was dismissed as “baby brother Priorat”, a cheaper alternative. Not anymore.
Since becoming an independent DO in 2001, Montsant has exploded from 28 wineries to over 55. Priorat legends like René Barbier are now making wine here. Wine critics believe parts of Montsant will soon be as exclusive as Priorat itself. Why? Because while Priorat is mostly slate, Montsant has incredible soil diversity: granite, limestone, clay, sand, and slate. Six distinct sub-zones. This creates a range of styles Priorat simply can’t match.
After years consulting for wineries across the Mediterranean, Pep Aguilar and Patri Morillo knew exactly what they were looking for: granite soils. Granite is rare in Montsant, but it produces wines with natural freshness, minerality, and a vibrant energy you can’t fake.
In 2010, they found it at Mas d’en Cosme in Falset. Seven hectares of organically and biodynamically farmed vines on granitic sandy soils. Garnatxa, Carinyena, Syrah. The climate is dry with dramatic day-night temperature swings and the Garbinada, a cooling sea breeze that rolls in on summer evenings. They spend more time in the vineyards than in the winery, getting to know every vine, every inch of earth.
In the cellar, they age in stainless steel, not oak. This is deliberate. They don’t want to interfere or mask what the vineyards give them. Spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. No filtration. Minimal sulfites, only when necessary. As they put it: “We are loyal to the soils.”
The result? Wines that are lively, aromatic, full of texture. Their Vi del Mas earned Jancis Robinson’s “Wine of the Week” with 16.5 points. She called it “direct in its appeal” with “sweet, honest fruit” and “pure, appetising tingle.”
Pep and Patri aren’t trying to make Priorat. They’re making Montsant. Fresh, mineral-driven, vibrant. Wines that taste alive.
