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Only a few metres separate the Priorat from the Montsant – and yet worlds lie between them. Terroir Sense Fronteres, the project founded in 2017 by Tatjana Peceric and Dominik Huber, uses precisely this border position for wines that turn out lighter and livelier than their Priorat siblings from Terroir al Límit.
The loose sandy soils of the Montsant and the less strict appellation rules allow more experiment here: whole bunches are trodden by hand, fermentation takes place in terracotta amphorae and concrete tanks – oak is nowhere to be found. The result is wines of moderate alcohol, pale colour and a freshness that turns the heavy style of the region on its head.
≈ Aroma: Herbs
In all wines: 2,861 Wines
More about Terroir Sense Fronteres
Wines without Borders
The name “Terroir Sense Fronteres” – Catalan for “terroir without borders” – is a statement of intent. While Dominik Huber redefined the elegance of the Priorat with his legendary Terroir al Límit, Tatjana Peceric wanted to show that the neighbouring Montsant, too, is capable of finesse-driven wines. The vineyards lie in part only a few hundred metres from the Priorat parcels, yet the sandy-clay soils and the looser DO rules open up other possibilities. The climate is Mediterranean, but the altitude brings cool nights and slow ripening.
At the centre is the Les Montalts vineyard at 800 metres: four hectares of 45-year-old bush-trained Garnacha vines, which produce the powerful Guix Vermell. The name means “red gypsum” – an allusion to the colour of the soil. In addition there are parcels in La Figuera for the Vèrtebra and various sites for the village wines Negre and Brisat.
Vinification in a Terracotta Belly
In the cellar of Terroir Sense Fronteres there is no destemmer and there are no barriques. The grapes are trodden by foot complete with stems and fermented in amphorae or concrete tanks – a method that preserves freshness and keeps tannins supple. Sulphur additions are minimal, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. The Spanish amphorae each hold 400 litres and breathe gently.
The result is red wines of paler colour that bring Burgundy to mind rather than powerful Spain. The Negre shows wild herbs and red berries, the white Brisat from Macabeo surprises with structure and salty minerality.
Tatjana's Vision
Although Terroir Sense Fronteres comes into being under the roof of Terroir al Límit, it is above all Tatjana Peceric who shapes the project. The oenologist, who comes from Slovenia, has worked with Dominik Huber since 2012 and has developed her own style here: early picking for moderate alcohol levels, long maceration times for depth without heaviness, patience instead of intervention. Yields are only 15 to 20 hectolitres per hectare.
The wines of Terroir Sense Fronteres are now regarded as a benchmark for modern Montsant – far removed from the over-extracted reds that dominated the region for so long.