Dominik Huber was never destined to end up behind a desk in an office job. Son of a German butcher, he always desired a career path that would allow him to use his hands. In 2001 he started a wine project with Eben Sadie in Priorat, making the Terroir al Limit wines. After several years working together, Eben departed the project in 2012 to focus on his iconic Sadie Family Wines, leaving Dominik solo to refocus and try and take the winery and its wines on to the next level.

In 2015 Dominik finally managed to purchase his beloved Les Manyes Old Vine Grenache (1.5 ha) vineyard from a local farmer. But with this sale also came a parcel of 4 hectares of neighbouring vineyards. However, these vines were not DOC Priorat but DO Monsant… and so the new winery “project” found its inspiration.

Brisat 2017, DO Monsant, 12 Abv.

15 to 35 year old vines of 75% Grenache Blanc and 25% Macabeo grown on clay rich sandy soils at 300-350 metre altitude. Nose is rich and exotic with honied pear purée, pineapple pastille, savoury leesy bruised yellow orchard fruits and a slight oxidative, salty lift with a strong dusty mineral veil. The palate is cool, sleek and fresh with a lovely linear acidity and tension, smokey, stony minerality, wet river pebbles, ripe pears and yellow crunchy peach stone fruits. A real food wine that packs a punch.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Negre 2017, DO Monsant, 13 Abv.

15 to 35 year old vines of 75% Grenache Noir and 25% Carignan grown on clay rich sandy soils at 300-350 metre altitude. Colour is a surprisingly dense, dark purple black plum colour. Made using old school Burgundy techniques, 100% of the fruit was whole bunch fermented using native yeasts and minimal interaction for a gentle fermentation. The nose is a little reticent at first with subtle notes of black plum, black berry, sun ripened black cherry and savoury, earthy, meaty hints. The palate is more explosive with incredible layers of sweet & sour Victoria plum, tart black berries, a graphite rich stony minerality and complexing notes of sweet grilled herbs and spice. Deliciously bright fruited showing plenty of nervous energy, the finish is fine but drying with pin point dusty mineral graphite tannins. Should flesh out further with age as the coiled tension unwinds.

(Wine Safari Score: 93+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Dominik Huber at Cabotte Restaurant in London.

Vertebra de la Figuera 2017, DO Monsant, 12.5 Abv.

40 to 80 year old vines of 100% Grenache Noir grown on red clay and gypsum rich layered soils at 700 metres altitude. The high altitude yields grapes that produce a very light colour despite being vinified the same as the other darker wines. The nose is seductive and perfumed with lofty notes of cherry blossom, crushed strawberries, raisined cranberries and a raspberry rock candy confectionary note. The palate is linear and cool with laser like purity and textural light touch precision. The tannins are sleek and polished allowing the wine to tread very lightly despite its incredible intensity. The finish is taught and fine with delicious strawberry pip and stony mineral precision. Very impressive expression with a definite Burgundian feel.

(Wine Safari Score: 93/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Guix Vermell Negre 2017, DO Monsant, 13 Abv.

75 year old vines of 100% Grenache Noir grown on red clay rich with gypsum soil layers at 800 metres altitude. It has a beautiful bright purple ruby colour with the nose being richer, deeper, darker and creamier than the Vertebra, possessing an alluring depth of black plum, tart black berries, graphite, grey slate and dusty piquant exotic spices. There is a sense of something quite serious and profound in the glass with more classical austerity and dusty slatey mineral restraint tempering the bright vibrant fruit purity. Creamy dreamy wine with textured chalky tannins, this has the stuffing to age and the balance to evolve for sure. Something very special indeed that could finally put premium DO Monsant wines on the map. Let’s hope so.

(Wine Safari Score: 96/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

These wines will be launched more broadly in Europe in March but will be available from UK trade supplier Armit wines from February.