Why it matters
The producer
Josep Maria is Celler Mariol's winemaker and manager, with Artur as his right hand. Founded in 1945, the third generation family winery works from Batea in Terra Alta, southern Catalonia. Its range is built around Terra Alta single variety wines and vermouths.
The family works with both local and experimental grape material. Terra Alta Garnacha sits beside Syrah, Cabernet, Merlot and Verdejo, while Samsó Crianza puts Cariñena into a single variety red wine. Vermut Negre takes the range in a different direction, using selected white grapes and herbs from Terra Alta.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Batea sits in Terra Alta, a wine region in southern Catalonia. Samsó Crianza carries the DO Terra Alta appellation, placing its Cariñena within the region's wine designation.
The same local setting also shapes Vermut Negre. Its herbs come from Terra Alta, so the vermouth keeps a direct link to the place even when the base grapes are white and the finished drink is darkened through production.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The vineyard holding covers 50 hectares. Plantings include Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot, Terra Alta Garnacha and experimental Verdejo. Casa Mariol Garnatxa Blanca and Casa Mariol Garnatxa Negra have organic certification, while the producer's products have carried vegan certification since 2019.
Samsó Crianza is made traditionally and subsequently aged in oak casks. Oak ageing allows slow oxygen contact, which can soften the texture of a red wine as it develops.
Wines to know
The range in view
Celler Mariol presents two distinct wine directions. Samsó Crianza is a single variety red made from Cariñena, while Vermut Negre is a sweet, dark vermouth made from selected white grapes and macerated herbs from Terra Alta.
The red wine keeps the grape at the centre of the bottle. The vermouth builds its profile through herbs and spices, giving the range a second form of expression alongside the still wines.