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 […]
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 […]
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 […]