Capçanes

The Montsant DO, which has historically existed in the shadow of neighboring Priorat, has recently come into its own with the help of producers like Capçanes. The lush, dense wines emerging from the poor, chalky Falset soils are jam-packed with dark berries, smoky flavors, and layers up layer of richness.

Prior to the phylloxera devastation at the turn of the 19th century, the town of Capçanes was very densely planted, but in the aftermath, only 1/5 of the original number of vines were replanted. It wasn't until 1996, however, that the first commercial releases were made. A major investment, modernizing and reconstructing the cellar, has taken the winery to new heights.

The impetus to start commercial bottling came from a surprising source: the Jewish community of Barcelona asked Capçanes to produce a kosher wine. This demanded the installation of new equipment allowing the winery to identify, isolate, and vinify under controlled "Lo Mevushal" conditions small parcels of high quality fruit. Although their kosher wine, Primavera, accounts for only 2% of the winery's total production, the winery was completely overhauled, and the remaining 98% of their production greatly benefited, as well.

Ángel Teixido is the full-time, hands-on winemaker and one of the most experienced in the greater Priorat/Monsant region. He has worked through more than 25 vintages. He is joined in the cellar by Antoni Alcover, owner/winemaker of Fra Fulco.

Nowadays, Capçanes has 250 hectares of vineyards of which about half is devoted to Garnacha; Cariñena accounts for 20%, and the balance is made up of Tempranillo, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The vineyards range in altitude from 150 meters at the bottom of the valley to nearly 550 meters from the highest terraces where the oldest Garnacha vines grow. Soil in the lower vineyards is deep and rich and fertile, while the higher vineyards are on minerally soil on top of a granite or slate base.

The difference in altitude, terroir, and the range of grape varieties means that harvesting the fruit can last a full two months. Each vineyard is harvested separately at its precise moment of optimum ripeness and each parcel is vinified separately, prior to final blends.