Venus "la Universal" 2011 (Coming Soon)

Winery: Venus La Universal

Country / Region: Spain / Catalunya, DO Montsant

Date Winery was established: 1999

Grape Variety: Carinyena, Syrah, Garnatxa

Alcohol Content / Volume: 13,5% / 750ml

First Vintage Released: 1999

Good to know: five old Carignan vines between 50 and 80 years with different soils (1 sand, 2 slate and 2 clay limestone) make possible this unique wine. The vineyards and the growers are working organically. The fermentations are carried out by non-selected yeasts, to try to contribute to the aromatic and structural diversity and maintain a respect for the expression of each terroir.

This is a very serious, complex and enjoyably structured Montsant red with quite a bit of age. However, even though the wine exhibits some developed characteristics, the wine is still full of life and fruit with tons of structure, promising good potential for future development. Drinking well now but will reward further cellaring.

The history of Venus La Universal is born from the connection between two of the best producers in Priorat (René Barbier and Sara Perez). Rene started out in the world of wine at Clos Mogador in 1992 with his father. He has spent more than 20 years of his life dedicated to wine. For the first 10 years, he worked mainly in the winery and whilst he was there, he realized that in order to advance further, he needed to be out working the land.

In 2001 he had the option of buying a small old vine “coster” (steeply sloping) traditional vineyard called Els Bellvisos. This vineyard had been abandoned and it was fascinating, sitting right in the middle of a steep grove of holm oaks, spectacular…a spot where he could learn about growing grapes.

It was at this same time that another great influence entered his life in the form of Sara Pérez, (daughter of one of the pioneers in the region, Josep Lluis Perez and winemaker of Mas Martinet since 1996). Together with Sara, they brought the vineyard back into production. It was an uncompromising spot, which however offered them the chance to make a wine which was at one with nature. They embarked on a project which was based on their philosophy on life: a sustainable, organic project where they could close the circle of life!

René and Sara have taken the goddess as their inspiration for this project. One of their stated goals is “to interpret femininity through a bottle of wine”. This might seem an odd choice for a bodega that elaborates Grenache and Carignan based wines in Southern Cataluña, but it makes sense once you taste. These are incredibly elegant, refined, sensual expressions of DO Montsant, with restrained alcohol levels and tremendous texture.

The 2011 Venus "la Universal" stands as a profound expression of the Montsant terroir, shaped by a climatic year that demanded both resilience from the vines and masterful precision from acclaimed winemakers Sara Pérez and René Barbier. The 2011 vintage is particularly significant for the region due to its notably warm and dry growing season, which naturally limited yields and drove early, highly concentrated ripening. This climatic signature imbued the wine—a vibrant blend primarily of old-vine Carignan and Grenache—with a remarkable depth of dark, brooding fruit, intense earthy minerality, and a robust, muscular tannic structure. What makes this specific vintage truly exceptional, however, is the deft balance the winemakers achieved; despite the intense heat of the year, the 2011 retains an elegant, life-giving acidity. This harmonious tension between ripe, sun-drenched power and refined freshness makes it a magnificent snapshot of a classic Mediterranean vintage, celebrated by collectors for its monumental aging potential and deeply complex evolution in the bottle.