Summary
Celler de Capçanes is a cooperative in the village of the same name in the province of Tarragona – and one of the most exciting success stories in Catalan wine. Founded in 1933 by five families, the winery supplied plain bulk wine for decades. The turning point came in 1995 with an unusual commission: a kosher wine for Barcelona's Jewish community. The investment in cellar and equipment this required turned the village operation into a quality estate that today ranks among the flagships of the DO Montsant. Its strengths lie in old Garnacha and Cariñena vines on slate, limestone and clay, in organic farming and in a range that stretches from affordable everyday wine to the internationally acclaimed Cabrida.
History
When five families from Capçanes joined forces to form a cooperative in 1933, it was above all about survival: the small plots on the steep slopes were easier to market together. Over the decades the winery grew to several dozen members, but like many cooperatives in the region it mainly produced bulk wine for the trade. Only in 1991 did it begin bottling wines under its own name.
The real turning point came in 1995. A Jewish family from Barcelona was looking for a kosher wine from Spain – something that had practically ceased to exist since the expulsion of the Jews in the 15th century. The cooperative accepted the challenge, investing in a separate cellar, new equipment and rabbinical supervision. The result was Peraj Ha'abib ('Flor de Primavera', spring blossom) – one of Spain's first kosher quality wines in centuries. The wine became internationally known, and the new facilities raised the quality of every wine in the house. The bulk-wine supplier became a producer with a clear quality strategy: low yields, old vines, separate vinification by plot and soil. Today Anna Rovira runs the cellar as technical director, Joan M. Sabaté manages the business, and Jürgen Wagner has been in charge of exports for many years.
Location & Terroir
Capçanes lies in the south of the Priorat comarca but belongs to the DO Montsant – the appellation that surrounds the famous Priorat like a horseshoe and was long regarded as its affordable little sister. The landscape is rugged and mountainous, with vineyards climbing in terraces from around 150 to over 500 metres in altitude. The Mediterranean climate with its hot days is tempered by altitude, cool nights and the wind from the Ebro valley, which keeps the wines fresh despite their power.
What makes Capçanes special is the diversity of soils in a very small area. Three types shape the vineyards: llicorella (slate), the soil that made Priorat famous, brings minerality and tension; limestone soils give floral lift, chalky texture and freshness; red clay soils deliver ripe, juicy fruit and structure. Many plots are planted with old bush-trained Garnacha and Cariñena vines – some of them, according to the winery, over 100 years old.
Style & Philosophy
The philosophy of Capçanes can be summed up in one sentence: show the village in the glass. The cooperative sees itself as 'l'esperit d'un poble' – the spirit of a village – and vinifies its members' grapes separately by plot, vine age and soil type. This is most vividly demonstrated in the La Nit de les Garnatxes series: the same grape, the same vintage, the same vinification, but four soils (slate, limestone, clay, sand) in four bottles – a terroir lesson that has made the winery famous.
Stylistically, the reds stand for the modern interpretation of Montsant: ripe but not overripe fruit, noticeable minerality, fine-grained tannins and moderate use of French oak. The vineyards are farmed organically and the wines are vegan. Around a tenth of production is kosher – made under supervision, mostly using the mevushal method, which briefly heats the wine without compromising quality.
Notable Sites & Wines
The range stretches from affordable entry-level to icon – and is one of the best value propositions in Catalonia:
- Mas Donís – the classic: Garnacha with Syrah, juicy, spicy, uncomplicated; the 'Old Vines' version with more depth
- Costers del Gravet – a blend of old Cariñena and Garnacha with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon from slate slopes; spicy, mineral, long-lived
- Cabrida – the top wine: 100% Garnacha from 60- to 110-year-old vines, floral, silky, with great finesse
- La Nit de les Garnatxes – the terroir series: Garnacha from slate, limestone, clay and sand, each bottled separately
- Peraj Ha'abib 'Flor de Primavera' – the kosher flagship from Garnacha, Cariñena and Cabernet Sauvignon, aged twelve months in barriques
- Peraj Petita – the kosher entry point as red and rosé
- Vall del Calàs – Tempranillo-led blend with Merlot and Garnacha
Awards
Celler de Capçanes is among the most awarded producers in the DO Montsant. In Decanter's ratings, Cabrida and Costers del Gravet from recent vintages scored in the 94 to 96 point range, while Peraj Ha'abib has received top marks from publications such as Vinous and the Hudin Top 100. In the kosher wine world, Peraj Ha'abib has ranked among the most respected wines internationally for years. That all of this comes from a village cooperative makes Capçanes one of the most remarkable addresses in Spain.
