Monlleo 2011

Tasting note

About the winery...

D.O.Q Priorat

Located in the province of Tarragona, 130km South from Barcelona, in the southwest of Catalonia. The DOQ covers 12 villages: Bellmunt del Priorat, Scala Dei, Gratallops, El Lloar, La Morera de Montsant, Poboleda, Porrera, Torroja del Priorat La Vilella Alta, La Vilella Baixa, Masos de Falser and Solanes del Mora. Total area has an extension of 15'000Ha, from which barely 2'000Ha are dedicated to vineyards. As per the end of 2019, there were a total of 112 registered wineries in the DOQ.

Image: Consell Regulador de la DOQ Priorat

The zone has eight centuries of tradition of vineyards plantation. There were times of harmony and growth but also of times of people exodus to bigger cities looking for a more prosperous life or the phylloxera plague in the late 19th Century, that destroyed a great part of the vineyards. The constant hard work of the local families has made possible the continuation of the wine tradition.

High temperatures, a lot of sun and low annual precipitation are the main characteristics of the weather in the region. The typical soil of the region is the llicorella soil (black slate) which has a volcanic origin. Many vineyards are located on hills (Coster) with a good depth of llicorella, where vines need to extend their roots to find the scarce water. The combination of the mentioned factors turn into a low and concentrated grape production.