The Montsant designation of origin is located in the Catalonia region in northeastern Spain. Its name, meaning "holy mountain," is derived from the Serra do Montsant, a mountain range that gives the vineyards their altitude, ranging from 150 to 2,000 feet above sea level. Its winemaking history dates to Roman times, but it was the Carthusian monks who focused on the region's potential and development since the Middle Ages. It boasts ancient soil made of granite, slate, and sedimentary rock, and a climate of cold winters and hot, dry summers.
Montsant obtained its Designation of Origin certification in 2001, when there were 28 wineries; today, there are 59 wineries, both family-run, limited-production projects and extensive farmer cooperatives. They mainly produce red wines made from Garnacha and Cariñena with an aromatic profile of red fruit, tobacco and spices, good acidity and structured tannins, while the white grapes that thrive are Garnacha blanca and Viura.
Author: Maytte Rivera
