2023 Sindicat La Figuera Vi Sec Garnatxa Fina

Sindicat La Figuera began as a small cooperative in the Montsant Mountains, founded in 1932, producing wines of clarity and integrity. As of the 2020 vintage, this wine is made entirely by Rene Barbier and Sara Perez (you know, the ones from Dido, Venus , Partida , Mas Martinet , and Clos Mogador ) and now goes by the name Venus la Universal Sindicat La Figuera. You have to drive up the mountainside on very narrow, winding roads to reach the town of La Figuera, which sits at an altitude of 600 meters and has a population of only 80. The town seems to rise from the top of the mountain, with the surrounding mountains and the Priorat region in all directions.

In the early 1930s, when the cooperative was founded, La Figuera was a bustling town; 25 residents were involved in establishing the winery and 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 in Sindicat's flagship wine. While Cariñena is typically blended with Garnatxa in Montsant, La Figuera is known for the beauty and elegance of its 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 truly regained its population, although a few dedicated citizens replanted Garnatxa vines, and there are now only three passionate members who have vowed to keep the cooperative alive. René Barbier, the renowned Priorat winemaker, also noticed La Figuera's Garnatxa wines and decided to join forces with the cooperative members to help make wine. René says you can always tell a wine is from La Figuera because the unique limestone content in the soil makes the Garnatxa lighter. Besides preserving these special wines, René 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 range in age from 20 to 70 years. The Venus la Universal 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 aroma of the village's Garnacha. The wines are fermented with wild yeasts in underground concrete tanks with minimal temperature control, where they age for approximately nine months on fine lees before being bottled with light fining and filtration. It is a wonderfully accessible wine. Fresh red fruit, the characteristic mineral aromas and flavors. Elegant, fresh, and juicy—that best sums up this delicious wine. It's no surprise that even this very affordable wine from René Barbier has received 90/100 Parker points since the 2018 vintage. The 2023 vintage even received a 91+/100 from Parker. Very special for a wine in this price category, but absolutely justified

Fun fact: An old label has been rediscovered and used for this old-style, authentic red. In the "Attachments" tab, you'll find the official fact sheet for this fine wine. We'll automatically send it to you when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you pick it up, you'll often receive a nice discount. You'll see your discount immediately when you select "Pickup" at checkout. We're located in Dordrecht with ample parking. Click here for our address.