ESPECTACLE DEL MONTSANT
CATALONIA, SPAIN 2021
WHY BUY:
One of the most incredible values of the year, folks: a Wine Advocate 99-point masterpiece from the world-class Espectacle del Montsant for just $130 — the kind of pricing anomaly that might cause you to double-check the digits. This world-class Grenache comes from none other than René Barbier, the visionary who started at Petrus before revolutionizing Spanish wine. His small, low-production estate (producing just 5,000 bottles per vintage) boasts 100+ year-old vines on impossibly steep slopes, with meticulous 30-day fermentations overseen by the legendary Clos Mogador team. When The Wine Advocate declares a wine "as pure an expression of Grenache as exists anywhere on the planet,” then you know it’s time to clear space in your cellar.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
“Multi-layered, precise, nuanced and ever-changing in the glass,” The Wine Advocate wrote, in its 99-point love song, before concluding, "It has to be one of the most elegant and finest vintages of Espectacle, with the natural freshness from the year. Bravo!"
THE PEDIGREE:
Montsant achieved its DO status in 2001, breaking away from Tarragona when local growers recognized the special character of their high-altitude vineyards. Espectacle’s story spans nearly the same time frame. In relatively short order for the wine world, it has become one of Spain's most limited and prized wines, with The Wine Advocate routinely bestowing top-tier scores across seventeen vintages.
THE STORY:
Since its inception in 2004, Espectacle has been exactly what its name promises — a spectacle — earning a reputation in Spain as a producer that, in vintage after astonishing vintage, delivers wines of dramatic depth and excitement. Located at the highest elevation in the Montsant appellation, on the northern edge of this recently recognized DO (established 2001), the vineyard is a dramatically sloping 5-acre parcel that would intimidate most winemakers. Barbier, the French-educated enologist who worked at Petrus before focusing on — and revolutionizing — Priorat, saw something world-class in these soils similar to his beloved Priorat. His team from Clos Mogador hand-harvests each grape from these gnarled centenarian Garnatxa vines before transporting the precious cargo to the winery.
THE PROCESS:
Upon arrival, the grapes are chilled for 24 hours, meticulously destemmed, and sorted again. The estate's maceration and fermentation processes last a full 30 days, in a special 4000-liter oak vat. The press is then left to age for 14 to 16 months in that same vessel. This extended, gentle process is meant to preserve every nuance that a century of growth has brought to the fruit.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
The 2021 Espectacle stands out as a particularly perfumed and elegant expression, even by this estate's lofty standards. The cool vintage has resulted in a wine of extraordinary precision — red fruits and violets mix and mingle above a lifting blood orange note. The palate offers that rare combination of concentration without weight, its fine-boned structure supporting the concentration and depth that Espectacle has worked so hard (but, from our vantage, seemingly effortlessly) to attain. More than just a great wine, it’s a testament to what ancient vines can achieve in the hands of a master.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we source and ship directly from the estate to ensure pristine provenance. Secure your bottles today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2025. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer only valid in AZ, GA, MA, NJ, TX, & WA. The price reflected on your order form is subject to change after the order is placed in the event of a change in tariffs or taxes that are imposed by the U.S. government, or in the case of currency fluctuations of 10% or greater. This offer is valid for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Monday, April 14th, 2025.