The 2008 Espectacle del Montsant continues a string of great successes dating from the first vintage in 2004. The sheer level of density and richness is stunning although the fruit is very primary at this stage of its development. Aromas and flavors of exotic spices, incense, licorice, truffle, black cherry, and blackberry lead to a full-bodied wine that deftly combines elegance and power. Sweetly fruited, savory, and precisely balanced, this voluminous effort will profit from 4-5 years of cellaring and be at its best from 2015 to 2028.

Espectacle is 100% Garnacha sourced from a 120-year-old (mostly ungrafted) parcel located at La Figuera on the northern edge of the Montsant DO. It is hard to believe but until the vineyard's purchase several years ago by the current owners (among them Rene Barbier and Christopher Cannan), the grapes were sold to a co-op and presumably intermingled with lesser quality fruit. I was able to see this incredibly steep and nearly inaccessible vineyard from a helicopter and it is a sight to behold.