# Montombra Negre (2019)

- **Producer:** Mas Candí
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Monastrell
- **Region:** Catalonia, Spain
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €38
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 13–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, blackcurrant, black pepper, fennel, herbaceous, smoke, forest floor, game

## About this wine

Mas Candí was founded in 2006 in Les Gunyoles d'Avinyonet by Ramón Jané, Mercè Cuscó, and Toni Carbó. Montombra comes from a heroic single vineyard situated in an intensely steep, south-facing amphitheater within the Massís del Garraf subzone of Penedès. Originally terraced with dry-stone walls in the pre-phylloxera 19th century, the plot was rediscovered after a forest fire and replanted in 2004. Inspired by low-extraction Monastrells and Burgundian style winemaking, Mas Candí created a fresh, elegant, high-altitude expression of Monastrell that departs from heavy, over-ripe Mediterranean red styles.

## Interesting facts

- The vineyard's historic 19th-century dry-stone terraces were hidden under dense forest until a wildfire revealed them.
- The winemaking was directly inspired by Burgundy winemaker Philippe Pacalet to create a fresh, low-extraction Monastrell.
- High wildlife exposure to wild boars and deer results in extremely low, micro-production yields.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity, fine-grained silky tannins, and savory herbal profile cut through rich duck, lamb, and wild game while harmonizing with earthy mushroom and garrigue flavors.

## Wine making process

Farmed organically and biodynamically, grapes are hand-harvested in 15 kg boxes. Spontaneous fermentation occurs with native yeasts in stainless steel tanks, utilizing two-thirds whole clusters and one-third destemmed fruit. Gentle foot-treading and hand-pressing encourage partial carbonic maceration during a 7-day skin maceration. The wine ages for 8 to 10 months in neutral 500-liter French oak barrels previously used for white wines. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal added sulfites.