A red for the savory side of dinner
Vespres gives us a useful way to look beyond the word “oaked.” This 2024 red combines Grenache, Carignan and Syrah, then spends its maturation in two different kinds of vessel. The interest is in how fruit, freshness and texture come together, not in deciding whether wood is automatically good or bad.
The place and the wine
The Sorting Table’s vintage-specific sheet places the fruit in southern Montsant, around Capçanes, Marçà and El Pla de Falset. It records 70% Grenache, 20% Carignan and 10% Syrah. Fermentation uses indigenous yeasts in concrete; ten months of maturation are divided equally between concrete and large Austrian-oak foudres. Vespres 2024 technical information
Montsant has a Mediterranean climate with inland influences, varied terrain and differences between sites. The regional council also describes the effect of mountains and, in the south, the Ebro valley and sea breezes. That is regional context, not an explanation of every aroma in this bottle. DO Montsant regional guide
The map locates the growing area in Catalonia. Its markers are reference locations, not vineyard parcels or a claim that the wine comes from one mapped point.
What the published notes describe
The importer’s 2024 notes point to raspberry, red cherry, blueberry, herbs and chocolate, alongside a silky feel, medium-plus acidity and a medium-to-full sense of body. These are useful reference points to compare with your own glass. The Sorting Table
Acidity, tannin and body
- Acidity is mouthwatering freshness. Here the published medium-plus description suggests a noticeable lift rather than a flat impression.
- Tannin is the drying grip on the gums and cheeks. The importer describes a silky texture but does not give a tannin measurement or intensity rating. Silky does not mean tannin-free; notice the feel after a sip rather than assigning a number from the label.
- Body is the wine’s weight in the mouth. Medium-to-full is a helpful translation of the importer’s description: more substantial than a very light red, without making heaviness the goal.
Acidity, tannin and body are separate sensations. Tannins interact with saliva; the wine’s weight is influenced by several components, including alcohol and dissolved material. These are general explanations, not measurements of Vespres. WSET on mouthfeel
What the vessels can tell us
Concrete does not contribute oak flavor. Oak can add aroma and allow gradual oxygen interaction, but its effect depends on the vessel, its age and the time involved. The documented split between concrete and foudres is therefore more informative than a bare “oak-aged” label. It does not prove that the chocolate descriptor came from oak, or that any one technique caused the silky texture. WSET on maturation vessels · WSET on oak
At the table
Rosemary Lamb Meatballs with Orange-Fennel Tomato Sauce gives this wine a savory starting point. Rosemary stays with the lamb; fennel and orange remain small accents in the tomato sauce. Try the wine with a meatball first, then with the sauce. Does its freshness become more noticeable, or does it seem rounder beside the food?
Make the rosemary lamb meatballs.
