Monserrat and Spanish Wine

Montserrat, Serrated Mountain in English, is some 1200 meters in height and consists of many pillars and peaks that have been shaped through wind and water erosion over many eons. Some locals refer to the mountain as being made of "dragons teeth"

Montserrat

Montserrat is home to a Benedictine monastery founded in 1025 and La Moreneta - the Black Madonna. The Black Madonna is a 12th century wooden sculpture of Mary and baby Jesus. This statue has been Catalonia's patron since the 1880s. It’s a sacred place of pilgrimage and all people in Catalunya are expected to visit at least once in a life time. (Most of the population of Catalunya are Catholic ).

Inside the Basilica

The Basilica is stilled used today by the Benedictine Order and about 80 Monks live here in the dormitories.

Monks Dormitories 

In front of the Basilica

We visited the Oller Del Mas winery at the foot of Montserrat. This winery has over 1,000 years of history, originally built in the mid-900’s and has been owned by the same family for 36 generations. Wow. It had some renovations done in the 1400’s and more after Napoleon Bonaparte trashed it. The original floors are still in it. 

Oller Del Mas Winery

As well as a tour of the castle we were treated to wine and lunch which was great. The wines here are not conventional in the sense of most Spanish wine areas where the grapes you use are determined by the wine governing body. This winery is totally organic and uses only grapes that are native to the area. 

 

The wine tasting table and lunch

Checking out the vineyards. They are not as groomed as they are in Canada. We were surprised that this soil is straight clay. 

At the top of the castle

The vineyard

Spain, similar to France and Italy have defined wine regions that specify the types of wine grapes that can be used in any particular region. In the Rioja region, for instance, the main grape is Tempranillo. However while Tempranillo may be the first grape in the Rioja region, it is usually blended with other grape varieties and the Spanish wine makers seem to be moving to younger drinking blends. What we tried we liked very much.