2024 Sindicat La Figuera Vi Sec Garnatxa Fina

Sindicat La Figuera started as a small cooperative in the Montsant mountains, founded in 1932, and produces wines of clarity and integrity. From the 2020 vintage onwards, this wine is made entirely by Rene Barbier and Sara Perez (you know, from the Dido, Venus , Partida , Mas Martinet , and Clos Mogador ) and now continues under the name Venus la Universal Sindicat La Figuera. One must drive up the mountain slope along very narrow, winding roads to reach the town of La Figuera, which lies at an altitude of 600 meters and has only 80 inhabitants. The town seems to rise from the mountaintop, with the surrounding mountains and the Priorat region visible in all directions.

In the early 1930s, when the cooperative was founded, La Figuera was a bustling town; there were 25 residents involved in the establishment of the winery 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 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 year after. Residents fled, and many of the vineyards were destroyed and abandoned.

La Figuera has never truly regained its population, although a few dedicated citizens have replanted Garnatxa vines, and there are now only three passionate members who have vowed to keep the cooperative alive. The famous winemaker from Priorat, René Barbier, also took notice of La Figuera's Garnatxa wines and decided to join forces with the members of the cooperative to help with winemaking. René 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, 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 produced 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 Garnacha from the village. The wines are fermented with wild yeasts in underground concrete tanks with minimal temperature control, where they age for approximately 9 months on fine lees before being bottled with light clarification and filtration. It is a wonderfully accessible wine. Fresh red fruit, typical mineral aromas and flavors. Elegant, fresh, and juicy best summarizes this delicious wine, and it is not surprising that even this very affordable wine from René Barbier has received 90/100 Parker points since the 2018 vintage. The 2024 vintage even received 92/100 from Parker. Very special for a wine in this price category, but absolutely justified.

Fun fact: An old label was rediscovered and used for this old-style, authentic red. In the 'Attachments' tab, you will find the official factsheet for this fine wine. We will automatically send this to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht with ample parking. Click here for our address.