2019 Sindicat La Figuera Vi Sec Garnatxa Negra Montsant 750 ml

To understand the magic of the 2019 Sindicat La Figuera Garnatxa, there are at least a few hands you must know about. 

The hands of a few winegrowers who banded together in this tiny village of La Figuera, the highest village perched on the peak above Spain’s Montsant region, after a vicious storm devastated the village and its vineyards in the 1950s. The work of those hands saved the village’s precious Garnatxa vines from extinction. 

Then there are those of René Barbier, the legend behind iconic Clos Mogador. He worked closely with La Figuera’s growers to craft this elegant and vibrant Spanish red. But unlike Mogador’s $100+ high-profile Priorats, La Figuera’s Garnatxa remains a hidden gem.

One of the five winemakers who brought the ancient vines of neighboring Priorat to international renown, Barbier deciding to fix his attention in the heights of La Figuera speaks volumes about the quality and uniqueness of the Garnatxa grown there.

René claims that it’s easy to tell when a wine comes from Figuera’s old vines—the elevation and unique limestone content of the soil produce wines with an ethereal character and weightless intensity. This is a prime example—so vibrant it’s practically abuzz when it hits your palate, with a nose that combines stunningly pure aromas of cherry, candied black raspberry, and black pepper with a spicy, supple palate.

Sindicat La Figuera’s are the highest-elevation vines in Montsant, and the dramatic temperature swings that accompany that elevation create wines with acidity and brightness to balance Grenache’s naturally bombastic fruit. Under Barbier’s direction, the Sindicat ferments the grapes simply, in concrete tanks that allow the tannins to soften without the intrusion of any oak flavors.