2022 Venus la Universal Sindicat La Figuera

Sindicat La Figuera started as a small cooperative in the Montsant mountains, founded in 1932, producing wines of clarity and integrity and as of the 2020 vintage this wine is made entirely by Rene Barbier and Sara Perez (you know, the ones from the Dido, Venus, Partida and the Clos Magador). You have to drive up the mountainside on very narrow, winding roads to reach the town of La Figuera, which is at an altitude of 600 metres and has a population of just 80. The town seems to rise out of the top of the mountain, with the surrounding mountains and the Priorat region in sight in all directions.

In the early 1930s, when the cooperative was founded, La Figuera was a bustling town; there were 25 residents who were involved in the creation of the winery and who contributed grapes to the first harvest. Garnatxa, as the Catalans call it, has always been planted around La Figuera and has always been the main grape used for Sindicat’s flagship wine. While Cariñena is typically blended with Garnatxa in Montsant, La Figuera is known for the beauty and elegance of their pure Garnatxa wines and is one of the few places where it is bottled on its own. The town flourished until the mid-1950s, when a major storm devastated the area, followed by a severe frost the following year. Residents fled and many of the vineyards were destroyed and abandoned.

La Figuera never really regained its population, although a few dedicated citizens replanted Garnatxa vines, and there are now just three passionate members who have vowed to keep the cooperative alive. Renowned Priorat winemaker René Barbier also took notice of La Figuera’s Garnatxa wines and decided to join forces with the cooperative members to help make wine. Rene says that you can always tell when a wine comes from La Figuera because there is a unique limestone content in the soil that makes the Garnatxa lighter. In addition to preserving these special wines, Rene also wanted to keep alive the heritage of the people’s cooperative movement, a movement that began in Catalonia’s post-phylloxera era in the early 20th century.

Sindicat La Figuera works with 25 hectares of Garnatxa Fina and the vines vary in age from 20-70 years. The Garnacha 2020 Sindicat La Figuera is made by René Barbier (of Clos Mogador among others). It is a characteristic and rustic red with the chalky tannins of the limestone soils and the scent of the Garnacha from the village. Wines are fermented with wild yeasts in underground concrete tanks with minimal temperature control, where they mature for about 9 months on fine lees before being bottled with light clarification and filtration. It is a great accessible wine. Red fresh fruit, the typical mineral aromas and flavors. Elegant, fresh and juicy that is the best to summarize this delicious wine and not surprisingly that even this very affordable wine from Rene Barbier has been getting 90/100 Parker points since the 2018 vintage. The 2022 itself 91/100.

Did you know: An old label has been found and used for this old style, authentic red. In the tab 'Attachments' you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.