Vendrell Rived "Serè" Montsant Tinto '23

Montsant sits in Catalonia’s Tarragona interior, wrapping around the more famous Priorat like a rugged amphitheater of vineyards. It’s a landscape of scrubby hillsides, warm Mediterranean light, and dramatic shifts in exposure and soil—one of the reasons the reds here can deliver the same satisfying combination of ripeness, spice, and structure you might love in Southern Rhône classics like Gigondas or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, often at a far friendlier price. Montsant was established as its own DO in the early 2000s, formalizing what growers already knew: this “ring” around Priorat has a distinct voice all its own.

Celler Vendrell Rived remains one of our favorite under-the-radar estates in the zone. Founded in 2000 and run by Josep M. Vendrell and Núria Barceló, it’s a true family project based in Marçà, farming about 25 hectares—with a focus on the varieties that define Montsant: Garnatxa (Grenache) and Carinyena (Carignan/Samsó). Their scale and intent feel perfectly matched: serious farming, thoughtful winemaking, and wines that stay grounded in place rather than polish.

“Serè” is a selecció de finques—fruit drawn from three organically farmed parcels in Marçà (Les Pedrenyeres, Mas de l’Anís, and Mas d’en Crusat), all hand-harvested and crafted to capture Montsant’s essential character. The 2023 is 60% Garnatxa negra and 40% Carinyena, fermented and macerated in stainless steel for about fifteen days, then aged five months in 225L French oak barrels—just enough élevage to add shape and seasoning without obscuring the fruit.

In the glass, Serè is fresh, expressive, and effortlessly drinkable—ripe red and dark fruit threaded with that classic Montsant signature of Mediterranean underbrush (think warm herbs and forest-floor earthiness), finishing with a friendly lift that keeps you coming back for another sip. Pair it with grilled lamb chops with rosemary, or grilled portobellos dusted with smoked paprika and olive oil.