Montsant: Panel tasting results

David Williams, Matthew Forster MW and Luis Gamiz tasted 86 wines, with 5 Oustanding and 38 Highly Recommended

Montsant: Panel tasting scores

86 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 5

Highly recommended 38

Recommended 38

Commended 5

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release still dry (or off-dry) red, white and rosé wines from DO Montsant

No matter how hard you try to ignore it, the question that haunts any tasting of DO Montsant wines is always: ‘How do these wines compare to those of Priorat?’ And the answer will invariably be something along the lines of, ‘better value, but not quite hitting the same heights’.

Founded as a DO in 2001, a year after Priorat was elevated from DO status to DOCa, Monstant almost entirely envelops the more famous region, both of which are set in the rugged hills of southern Catalonia.

Scroll down to see notes and scores of the top-scoring wines from our Montsant tasting

Emerging from the shadows

The reasons for comparison are obvious enough: the two regions share much by way of climate, grape varieties and stylistic approach. Then again, Montsant is much more varied in its soils, elevations (from 50m to 700m), aspects and microclimates.

In other words, while it may have kinship with Priorat, Montsant is – or should be – very much its own thing.

The best of the wines on show in this panel tasting had a distinct character, especially those that managed to avoid, in Luis Gámiz’s words, ‘looking to Priorat as a benchmark’ by eschewing obvious oak.

‘For me, the better reds tended to pull away from oak use, to focus on fruit and give a more energetic result,’ said Matthew Forster MW. ‘There were some quite soupy, middle-of-the-road wines that struggled to marry oak with Garnacha in particular.’

For Gámiz, too, the stars of the tasting were the ‘fresher, lighter and more mineral-driven Garnachas and Cariñenas’. All of us on the panel would certainly have liked to taste more of this style.

The whites also impressed, with the best examples showing ‘real authenticity and verve,’ noted Forster.

Ultimately, this was a tasting of wines of remarkable consistency and character, with just five wines tasted failing to make the 86-point (Recommended) cut. ‘The quality in the region is very good in general,’ concluded Gámiz.

Looking down the list of prices, you’d have to say the value is very good, too. So, what was that about a certain region beginning with P…?

See all the wines from the Montsant tasting

What to eat with Montsant wines, by Fiona Beckett

Montsant, as this tasting illustrates, comes in two guises: lighter, fresher, more mineral styles and more full-bodied wines that are more similar to those of neighbouring Priorat.

The former are generally more versatile – wines, like those featured in our value Spanish Tempranillo tasting, that you could happily drink with tapas but also a good accompaniment for tomato-based sauces and grilled meats and vegetables, so good wines to crack open with a barbecue.

You could also pair this style with a tagine or a paella (it would go well with the authentic Valencian style with chicken and/or rabbit).

More full-bodied styles are the ones you would want to enjoy with slow-braised ox cheek, venison, wild boar or other hearty stews: classic cold-weather drinking.

The relatively small number of whites, which are mainly based on white Garnacha and Macabeo, are a natural match for robust seafood dishes such as grilled or roast hake, octopus, dishes with salt cod or with punchily seasoned salads that might well include olives, capers and artichokes.

Montsant panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

David Williams is wine correspondent for The Observer, a regular contributor to Decanter on all things Spanish, and a widely published wine writer, author and competition judge

Matthew Forster MW is an independent wine consultant and education specialist, and founder of The Wine Partnership. A former director at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, he has a particular passion for the food and wine cultures of Spain, Portugal and South America

Luis Gamiz is business and product development manager and Spanish wine buyer at Indigo Wine. He has extensive experience in the wine industry, having previously held positions at Alliance Wine, The Knotted Vine and Vinoteca

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