The best wines defy color and style in pursuit of provenance. And when those origins are Les Manyes, one need not ask why. Situated at the top of a monastery in the village of Scala Dei, 800 meters up the high slopes of the Montsant mountains, the west-facing Grand Cru vineyard of Les Manyes is a universe unto itself. The Garnacha Peluda (literally: Hairy Grenache) vines that grow there are a rare variant of the regions more popular Garnacha Tinta. They are equipped with a fine downy fuzz on the underside of their leaves that conserves moisture in the blazing heat allowing them to thrive even in this hot and challenging climate. Lower sugar levels also mean lower alcohol levels, lending an unmistakable brightness and elegance to enhance the depth and concentration. The distinctive chalk-rich clay soils mark the Garnacha fruit with a minerality, structure and elegance that could only ever be one place, one time, one wine. The grapes are hand harvested, whole cluster fermented, and then aged for 8 months in cement.
Location | Montsant Mountain, around Mas Deu |
Age | 60 years old |
Altitude | 800 meters |
Orientation |
West |
Varieties |
100% Hairy Grenache |
Soils |
Clay |
Production |
3,500 bottles |
Yield |
2,000 kg per hectare |
Alcohol | 13.5 % |