Juvé & Camps Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia 2013
Another Cava from my visit to the region last year—according to the winemaker, 2013 was a cooler, wetter vintage in the region—in the lineup we tasted, this bottle, the Reserva Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia 2013 was appreciably leaner, but also fresher in its comportment. Fennel, white peach, lime, and grapefruit pith dominate the […]
Juvé & Camps Penedès Gregal d’Espiells 2015
The only still wine I tasted on the day we visited Juvé & Camps. It was late spring and this blossomy white—the 2015 Penedès Gregal d’Espiells-is made from organically-grown Muscat Alexandria. It’s surprisingly light and fresh with vivid tones of rose tea, chamomile crushed underfoot, mango and yellow peach. In the mouth, it’s tarter than […]
Juvé & Camps Cava Gran Reserva La Capella 2006
My visit to Catalonia last spring proved to be an eye-opening experience. There, I would learn that some Cavas, with this monovarietal Xarel·lo, have the potential to age. The Cava Gran Reserva The Capella Brut Nature 2006 matured on its lees for 108 months, gracing it with enormous complexity and depth, as only the passage […]
LaFou Celler Terra Alta El Sender 2015
LaFou’s 2015 El Sender is a young, slightly unruly blend of Garnaxta Negra and Syrah. Aged in concrete, it’s vivid and fresh, emitting a constant stream of pungent black cherries, strawberries and blackberry pie. Dried flowers and anise crown the nose—a plunge into the wine itself reveals purity of fruit, crunchy acidity contrasting soft texture. […]
Mistinguett Cava Brut Nature NV
Another winery visited on a recent press trip to Catalunya, Mistinguett is one of the larger Cava producers in the region, turning out values like this Brut Nature. The arrow of their marketing is squarely aimed at youth and celebration, indeed, it was hard to glean anything about the technical aspects of this wine since […]
Lafou De Batea 2013
LaFou is a small producer in the Terra Alta region of Spain, one I was lucky to visit on a recent trip to the Catalan. An expressive, fruit-driven blend of old vine Garnacha Negra and Garnacha Carignan—it’s heavily laden in pie cherries, strawberries roasted in balsamic, olive tapenade, and warm spice. Intense and concentrated in […]
Herencia Altés Terra Alta L’Estel 2015
A blend of 50% Samsó, 25% Garnacha Negra, and 25% Syrah, Herencia Altés L’Estel has a dark undercurrent running through it—preserved meat, matchstick, flint, dried blood and spice swirl about this wine like a secret waiting to be told—a beguiling top note anchored in black cherries, blackberries, and juicy ripe plums. L’Estel is aged five […]
Herencia Altés La Peluda 2015
Fortunate to have tasted some absolutely stunning wines while in the Terra Alta region of Spain last week, including this delicious wine from Herencia Altés. La Peluda is from the little known hairy Garnacha, translated, Peluda literally means hairy—despite the name, the wine itself is delicious with earthy, seductive aromas brimming with underbrush, bright red […]
Codorníu Cava Brut Reserva Anna de Codorníu NV
A winsome blend of 70% Chardonnay, 15% Parellada, 7.5% Xarello, and 7.5% Macabeo. The brand commemorates Anna de Cordorníeu and her marriage to Miquel Raventós in 1659, notably Anna was the first to incorporate the addition of Chardonnay into a Cava blend. And the nose is quite Chardonnay-esque with subtle notes of yellow apples and […]
Raventós i Blanc Conca del Riu Anoia Barcelona de Nit 2011
One of the more serious Cava’s I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. In part, due to calcareous soils and a long, long tenure of the land. Raventós estate vineyards have been tended by the same family since the late 1400s. Aside from the gorgeous pink hue and lively bubbles, the nose is pure fruit. Wild […]