A publication of It’s A Winederful Life
CATALONIA Can DO It!
INSIDE: Catalonia Can DO It! Cava Comes of Age The Botanists, Story Tellers & Passito-Style Wine Keepers of the Castle Trend Spotting The Prior’s Promised Land The Art of Wine The French Modernists El Celler de Can Roca
When you arrive by plane in Barcelona, they will stamp your passport as having entered Spain, but make no mistake --for all intents and purposes you are not really in Spain. Rather, you are in Catalonia, which may actually return to its independent state come the November elections, but regardless of governmental status, the people themselves are fiercely proud of being Catalan (as opposed to identifying themselves as Spanish). They speak their own language – Catalan – which they tellingly explain is closer to French than Spanish or Italian. Situated on the northeastern coast of the land mass adjacent to Portugal (as I took to calling the country), just south of France, Catalonia boasts of a quality wine industry and an exalted gastronomic culture. There are over 30 Michelin-starred restaurants within the region. Home to El Cellar de Can Roca (and the much-missed El Bulli), Catalans can cook!
They can also make wonderful wines. There are 12 Dominacion de Origen (DOs) within the triangular-shaped region, running from Figueres at the French border in the north (somewhat of a continuation of France’s Roussillon) to just beyond Tarragona in the south. Despite its limited geographic stretch, there is a wide variety of climates and wine styles, making the Catalonian region quite diverse. Low-lying areas closer to the sea provide more moderate conditions, while further inland is much cooler. Additionally, the multi-peaked Montserrat mountain range offers a stark landscape on the horizon and shelters the valleys from the various winds that blow through, most notably, the Tramontana.
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What does hold in common is the repeated use of indigenous grape varieties, namely Garnacha (known as Grenache in French and spelled as Garnatxa in Catalan), Tempranillo (known here as Ull de Llebre), Cariñena and the Cava trio: Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macabeo. In fact, the region is probably best known for being the center of Spain’s Cava production as well as for the Priorat DOCa. Throughout the region, large multi-national companies co-exist with tiny family owned farms, all striving to produce high quality wines indicative of the Catalonian region.
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Cava Comes of Age
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dmittedly, Cava is big business. With an annual production of f 250 million bottles, 55% of which are exported, there is a lot of cheap and cheerful Cava produced each year. But, when crafted with care, this sparkler can be so much more. Cava’s connection to Catalonia dates from 1872 when the Raventos family started sparkling wine production in the Penedes area. Influenced by his travels to France – notably Champagne - Josep Raventos initiated a secondary fermentation in the bottle, capturing the yeasty aromas and CO2 within the resulting wine, ultimately ushering in an age of bubbles. Since Cava can legally be produced almost anywhere in Spain, the Cava DO serves more to define production methods than to mark geographical terroir. However, its origin and heartland is still centered on the village of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia in Penedes, where the climatic and soil conditions produce the best wines.
gravel of the Serralada/Litoral area, while Xarel-lo is grown on the clay and deposits of the Depressio del Penedes and the slate soils of the Serralada Prelitoral are given over to Parellada and Trepat. Additionally, the majority of people feel that Parellada needs to be planted at higher elevations to produce high quality grapes. Yet, what is surprising is that, despite the reliance on multiple grapes, each producer seems to have its allegiances to a specific variety.
Cava’s Controversy In fact, it appears that grape varieties could spark quite a bit of controversy among winemakers on which grapes result in the best Cavas. In this regard, there were not just mild preferences, but definite, adamant opinions. One winemaker even completely trash-talked Parellada, but his identity will remain a secret to protect the not-so-innocent.
Under the minimum requirements, the wine must be aged for at least nine months in contact with the lees, but the better producers far exceed these minimums. And, some producers further limit their production to Reserva (minimum of 15 months) or Gran Reserva (aged for 30 months or longer) levels in their quest toward quality Cava. Although the very first Cava was produced from Mourvèdre, Cava, like Champagne, is most often a blend of varieties with current production based primarily on the triumvirate of the indigenous Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada. These grapes are supplemented with Trepat, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (the latter two were permitted as of 2002 and 2008 respectively). As is the case with most blends, each grape variety brings its own unique and important attributes to the wine – the whole being greater than the sum of the parts. In this regard, Xarel-lo is prized for both its acidity and structure; Macabeo is thought to provide elegance and finesse; and floral notes and freshness are attributed to Parellada. Not surprisingly, these grapes perform best in different environments and when possible, Macabeo is planted on the grey
Mostly Macabeo: Augusti Torello Mata Although the Augusti Torello Mata winery wasn’t founded until 1993, Augusti Torello Mata was responsible for opening the first technical lab in the Penedes region in the 1950s, with a focus on base wine production. As early as 1979, the family began producing its Kripta wine, with seven years of lees aging, (mainly for friends and family), before they even had a winery. Augusti Torello Mata winery works only with local varieties, with a predilection for Macabeo since it ages very well and they prefer to age their wines for long periods of time.
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The entire 500,000 bottle annual production is all estate produced, with an emphasis on producing the highest quality wines. Accordingly, not only are the grapes hand harvested, but they work at only 5060% of the permitted maximum yield. In addition, they use very low (and slow) pressure for pressing – equivalent to that used for blowing up a balloon –so as not to damage the grapes. Similarly, the entire tirage process is completed at once in the beginning of the year since it is the coldest month and, therefore, the development will be slow, thereby promoting tiny bubbles and elegance in the wine. In addition to the extremely long-aged Kripta, all of their Cavas are aged longer than required. Augusti’s son Alex admitted that, “I love Parellada,” but suggested that it has two handicaps: high yields and large grapes, which can produce only water and acid. But, if planted at high elevations, it can ripen more slowly and offer fruity and tropical notes. Juve Y Camps: A blend of old and new varieties Similarly, Antoni Cantos Llopart, winemaker at Juve Y Camps, believes strongly that Parellada does best when planted at elevations of 700 meters and higher. Consequently, there is no Parellada planted in the vineyards at Juve Y Camps’ newly built winery (designed by a member of the family and completed in 2008), but rather it is found further up in the hills, alongside Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. One of the larger scale quality-minded producers, Juve Y Camps has 250 hectares planted and produces three million bottles of cava each year. Despite their size, they continue to hand harvest and all of their Cavas spend a minimum of 30 months on the lees.
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With a strong emphasis on quality, they sell off the first press juice and keep only the second pressing. This is opposite to what they do in Champagne, but winemaker Antoni explained that the traditional Cava grapes are larger sized and more easily juiced than those used in Champagne, making the press juice more prized than the free run.
Jose Maria Ferrar, Casa Sala
Reserva de la Familia, their flagship wine, brings together Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada and Chardonnay, while they also produce a Cava from 100% Chardonnay as well as one from 100% Pinot Noir. A Preference for Parellada: The Huguet brothers Conversely, the Huguet brothers are more favorable in their estimation of Parellada, although they do prefer to plant it at high elevations (a minimum of 400 meters of altitude). When planted at this height and harvested at low yields, they believe that Parellada can give delicacy and elegance along with good concentration to the resulting wines. For this reason, their Cavas often lead with as much as 60% Parellada, joined by 20% Pinot Noir for body and rounded out with 20% Macabeo. Named for the original Feixes family that owned it, the house situated on the Can Feixes property dates from the 15 th century, with the cellars built in 1768. Eventually there were no descendants to sustain the property and it was sold to the Huguet family.
Alex Torello, Augusti Torello Mata
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Today, the three brothers divide and conquer to maintain the 340 hectare estate, 80 hectares of which are planted to grapevines, with another 10 hectares given over to olive trees. Although they studied conventional agriculture in school, they are now practicing organic agriculture. Consequently, old vineyards are planted with grass and herbs and left to rest for 15 years to remove infection and disease. While giving us a tour of the property, one of the brothers casually mentions, “We have ‘some’ sheep.” “Some” turns out to be 400 sheep.
Alta Alella: Three Cheers for Pansa Blanca Waving the flag for “Team Xarel-lo,” also known as Pansa Blanca, Alta Alella is situated within the tiny DO of Alella (the smallest in Spain and home to only eight wineries). Alta Alella is among the closest wineries to the city of Barcelona and, on a clear day, you can make out the cityscape in the distance from the property’s vineyards. Given its proximity to the city, the area was historic for producing wine for the bourgeois in Barcelona. But, for the same reasons, as well as its beautiful seaside locale, vineyard land gave way to second homes. Now, thankfully, some of the land is being returned to use as vineyards. The Pujol-Busquets family purchased an old house situated within a national park and were given the rights to plant vineyards in 1991, with their first harvest taking place in 2001. Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets was formerly the Technical Director for Martini & Rossi for more than ten years, so he was
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no stranger to sparkling wine when he decided to start his own project. Meanwhile, his wife Cristina Guillen owns a wellregarded wine shop in Barcelona, so is equally well acquainted with the industry. Daughter Mirea studied biology and pursued her Master’s degree in organic viticulture – a practice to which her family has been dedicated since the beginning of their project. Maintaining 20 hectares of vineyards on the estate, the family rents another 30 hectares in Penedes, dedicating 70% of their
production to Cava. They only produce at the Reserva and Gran Reserva levels and do not add any dosage (sugar/sweetness) to their wines, ensuring crisp, mineral wines with elegance. The Ferrer Family: Reclaiming Casa Sala While less focused on carrying a torch for a particular grape variety, Casa Sala is equally intent on producing high quality Cava. Reclaiming the family’s original 1852 estate at Casa Sala, the Ferrer’s of Freixenet fame, have restored the old winery at Casa Sala complete with its 150 year old press, originally purchased in Champagne, still in use. The Casa Sala Gran Reserva Cava is a finca (estate) wine, aged for seven years and only made in great vintages. Here, Parellada is traditional, while there is no Xarel-lo planted at the estate due to its location in the southern part of Penedes and, consequently, its proximity to the sea.
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ADERNATS: Working together
Only a few years away from celebrating its centennial, the Adernats cooperative was established in 1917 and produces both Cava and still wines within the Tarragona DO. Prior to its founding, all of the locals made wine in their individual homes, but in the wake of phylloxera, it became too expensive to continue in this manner. Consequently, it became necessary to pool resources and work in concert with one another. Designed by a local architect, the Adernats winery, along with 42 other cellars in the area, was built in a modern style typical of the region,. Constructed of clay and limestone, the building easily regulates the temperature keeping it constantly cool even in the heat of summer. The functional design extends to the inclusion of troughs under each of the original concrete tanks as well as windows along the top to vent out the gas to control the CO 2 created during wine production.
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Recaredo: Not all Cavas are created equal Also limited to producing Gran Reserva level, vintage-dated Cavas, Can Recaredo was established in 1924 by Josep Mata Capellades, named in honor of his father Recaredo Mata Figueres. Today, Ton Mata and his three cousins manage the winery, accounting for four of Recaredo’s nine grandchildren.
All of Recaredo’s Cavas exceed the minimum aging requirements and, as with Alta Alella, all are Brut Nature (no dosage) as a way to represent the landscape and ensure that the wines are especially well suited for food pairing.
Focused exclusively on indigenous grapes, the winery actually pulled out its Pinot Noir vines several years ago. Moreover, Recaredo switched to biodynamic viticulture eight years ago, becoming certified in 2010, and now uses five times less copper in combatting disease than before the conversion. The property’s oldest vineyard was planted in 1940 from which Recaredo produces a single vineyard Cava.
Albet I Noya: Bold Wines and Bold Moves Yet, despite these stellar examples of premium quality Cava, others have decided to pursue an alternate course in producing sparkling wines in the region. The Albet family has been in the wine industry since the late 19th century initially selling its grapes, then eventually establishing its own winery, Albet I Noya, during the 1950s.When his father passed away, the young Jose Marie Albet felt a responsibility to take over the family business and has been stewarding it ever since. No stranger to new ideas, Albet I Noya has been a pioneer from its earliest days, practicing organic viticulture since 1979 and dipping a toe into biodynamics as well. Similarly, Albet I Noya was the first winery to sell its wine under screw caps in Spain, making the move back in 2002. Now, Jose Marie, who also serves as President of the Penedes DO, has made another bold move. Previously a member of the Cava DO, Albet I Noya is no longer part of that consortium. Instead, Albet I Noya sparkling wines are produced as Penedes DO Traditional Method wines.
Ton Mata, Can Recaredo Jose Marie and his colleagues want to protect quality of the wines as well as the growers of the region. In this regard, the regulations for Penedes DO Traditional Method wines are stricter, requiring a minimum of 15 months of aging instead of the nine months minimum permitted for the Cava DO. In addition, they eventually hope to have all of the Penedes DO Traditional Method wines as 100% organic, but today this figure is only at 50%.
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The BotanIST: Vins de Taller
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Antoni Falcon, Vins de Taller
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ins de Taller started small – very small. The first vineyard was planted in 2001 with only four hectares of vines, while its first vintage, in 2003, was limited to only 180 bottles. Today, the Certified Organic vineyards planted on their property have since been supplemented by vineyards elsewhere and production has risen to an average of 35,000 to 40,000 bottles annually.
Although Vins de Taller is now a commercial venture instead of the family experiment it once was, experimentation continues with grapes from Languedoc-Roussillon such as Marsanne and Roussanne planted on the property. While this approach is novel, it is far from revolutionary given the Emporda DO’s proximity to these French regions. Similarly, the Mistral winds that plague southern France find their way across the border into Catalonia where it is referred to as the Tramontana. At their height, the winds can reach forces of 100 km/hour, breaking off the young shoots (see image, opposite page) and naturally limiting production. Consequently, there is no need for a manual green harvest. The winds also result in big diurnal temperature shifts, which help to preserve acidity in the grapes. Above: The area surrounding their house teems with rose bushes and other flowers, evidence of Antoni Falcón’s botanic roots. Left: This point is further emphasized with wine names inspired by flowers such as Phlox .
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Story Tellers: LaVinyeta Also located within the Emporda DO, LaVinyeta – meaning both a small vineyard and a story (vignette) -- came into existence when a husband and wife duo of agricultural engineers bought an old, two hectare vineyard back in 2002. They have since grown the property into 22 hectares planted with 19 different varieties and are partially certified organic Many of their labels feature one of the winery’s two main iconographs –bird and muse- designed by the wife’s godfather. Their Heus (the Catalan word for “once” as in Once upon a time…) line of wines produces a white, rosado and red, all of which are blends. Their Vins de Pedra blanc is a barrel-aged Chardonnay from 50year-old vines located in the Conca de Barbera DO, situated to the south from Emporda.
All Dried Up: Freixenada’s Passito-style Wine Also working on a small scale, the Ferrer family of the Freixenet brand is reaffirming its heritage. For Cava, this has meant a restoration at Casa Sala (see story on page 8), but for the family’s non-Cava concerns, the focus has centered on its Freixenada estate. At 80 years old, Mr. Ferrer, owner of Freixenet, has since retired, but he wanted to restore the 13 th century farm house since it represents the origin of his company. Consequently, the estate now houses a new winery with the goal of making wine as in the past but with modern technology. The result is something completely different than all other Freixenet wines. Taking inspiration from Amarone, the new Freixenada wine is a passito-style wine produced from grapes dried in a temperatureand humidity-controlled room. State-of-the-art tanks with two chambers separate the free run from the press wine and large (1200 L) bota of Slavonian oak, crafted by an Italian barrel maker, have been left untoasted to receive the wine for an aging period up to 25 months. Once bottled, the wines will be closed under a glass stopper created by Swarovski crystal.
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Keepers of the Castle: Oller del Mas & Perelada The Margenat family can trace its history and that of its castle to the 10th century. Originally potters, the family made pots and shields from the local clay soils, with the old kilns still in existence (though not in use) in the middle of the estate. Frank Margenat is the 36th generation of his family to maintain the property. The estate is located within the Pla de Bages DO, which has a long history of winemaking and was actually the largest region in Spain prior to phylloxera’s arrival. But, even though the family has a long tenure in the area, its entry into the wine industry is much shorter. While they had been growing grapes for some time, the winery itself dates only to 2003. Unfortunately, the venture was supposed to be a partnership with Frank and his father, but his dad passed away in August 2003. But, in spite of his historic roots, Frank is not afraid to experiment. Moving further along from its Certified Organic status, he is experimenting with biodynamics as well as with concrete eggs and clay amphorae – produced in France, but from clay sourced from the estate. He has also spared no expense when it comes to investing in the winery having recently purchased an optical selection machine to further improve quality control during sorting. Due east of Pla de Bages, Emporda –known as Empurius by the Greeks who inhabited the area 27 centuries ago – has been producing wine since that time. The area also holds the dubious distinction of being the point where phylloxera entered Spain. Within the DO, Count Rocaberti built a castle in the village of Perelada during the 14th century, adjacent to a monastery. This castle was owned by the same family for centuries, with the last count dying in 1899. At that point, a relative took over the
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estate, but ultimately couldn’t afford to maintain the property and sold it to Miguel Mateo in 1923. Inspired by the local monastery, Mr. Mateo decided to produce wine, eventually building a winery in 1932. More recently, the region has shifted its focus, beginning in the 1990s when Emporda welcomed a new generation of winemakers who eschewed traditional Spanish winemaking with a new emphasis on quality. Castello Perelada, owned by the Mateo family, was started during that period. Today, the winery is still owned by the Mateo family, with Miguel’s grandson currently at the helm. He is described, not as a wine lover, but as a wine freak. Perelada maintains five different vineyards encompassing five different terroirs. The jewels in the crown are its two single vineyards: Finca Garbet and Finca Maleveina, both of which were planted in 1997. The inland 20-hectare Finca Maleveina is planted to traditional Bordeaux varieties, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon accounting for nearly 60%. The tinier Finca Garbet (12 hectares) is situated along the coast, just three miles south of the French border. Here, the terraced vineyards (to prevent erosion) are planted to red Rhȏne varieties, which do well in the warm, abundant sunshine despite extremely low yields.
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Trend Spotting: X Marks the Spot First of all, don’t let the “X” scare you off. Used heavily in Catalan, the letter “X” is pronounced like “ch” as in cha-cha. In this regard, Xarel-lo seems to be striking a chord and stepping out on its own. In what appears to be a new trend, the traditional Cava varieties are now finding their way into non-sparkling wine production and earning accolades. For example, Augusti Torello Mata produces a still, stainless steel fermented, Xarel-lo and a barrel-fermented Macabeo called Aptia, while Adernats’ Macabeo AdN is a 100% Macabeo aged one-third in large barrels, one-third in steel and one-third in concrete reminiscent of Semillon and offering up some aging potential. Similarly, Vilarnau is a large producer of Cava, but also produces 60,000 bottles of still wine. Most interestingly, the winery makes a still Xarel-lo aged in chestnut oak. Why chestnut? Well, apparently, Xarel-lo is very reductive, therefore the chestnut is a good wood for aging it due to its larger pores, which permit more oxygen to exchange with the wine. They previously used French oak, but found it masks the flavors of the variety too much. Among its still wines, Pares Balta offers up an off-dry, but nicely balanced, 100% Parellada called Honeymoon and a duo of Xarel-los – one blended with 15% Sauvignon Blanc and another aged and fermented in oak. At Vins el Cep, the Blanc de Blancs wine is an 85% Xarel-lo/ 15% Chardonnay blend done entirely in tank, but with bâtonnage yielding a refreshing wine with high acidity and lime and mineral notes. Meanwhile, their single vineyard Xarel-lo wine, Clot del Roure, is fermented in a combination of large oak and chestnut barrels, resulting in a very integrated, but noticeable wood influence. Trend-setter Albet I Noya has several still whites, including its Petit Albet Blanc (60% Xarel-lo/40% Chardonnay), XA (100% Xarel-lo from “younger” vines) and Xarel-lo El Fanio (100% Xarel-lo from 60+ year old vines partially aged in Acacia barrels). Finally, the Can Feixes Blanc Seleccio brings together Parellada, Macabeo, Chardonnay and the rare Malvasia de Sitges in a complex, still white with floral, pear, almond and citrus notes. What’s Old is New Again Beyond the non-traditional use of these grape varieties, another trend spotted was that of non-traditional aging vessels. Or rather, some of the vessels were so traditional as to be ancient – many producers were using clay amphorae for aging their wines. Like Oller del Mas, Pares Balta also sourced local clay for the production of its amphorae. Additionally, the winery uses a combination of large (400L) French and Hungarian oak barrels. More modern approaches to vessels were the use of concrete egg tanks, which were seen at a handful of wineries.
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Weird Science At the Torres Winery, in Penedes, a high tech facility on the estate more easily brings to mind a science fiction film instead of a winery’s laboratory. Here, tiny vines in test tubes are the precursor to restoring ancient varieties, which will eventually be strong enough to survive the elements, but for now they are happy in their sterile environment. Among the success stories is Querol, a variety similar in structure to Syrah, with fresh pomegranate flavors and lively acidity. Similar research is being carried out at Albet I Noya. A man bent over a grapevine, tweezers in hand, is carefully removing the male part of the flower – birth control for vines? Not exactly, rather he seeks to propagate indigenous varieties, saving them from the brink of extinction. Among the reclaimed varieties is Belat, which translates as “invisible cloak” in recognition of the fact that the vine was hidden by time until Jose Maria found it while riding his motor bike through the forest one day. The restoration of these unique varieties is truly a trend worth supporting!
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Priorat: THE PRIOR’s Promised Land
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Making Priorat a Priority
Winemaking in the Priorat region dates to the 12 th century when monks emigrated from France and built a Cartusian monastery here, bringing their viticultural and vinification knowledge with them. As monks, they gave the name Priorat to the area in which they settled, which literally translates as land under control of the Prior.
bottles annually. They must contend with extreme conditions: very cold winters coupled with fog and very hot summers with temperatures as high as 40oC. But, the rewards are worth it – intense, ageworthy wines based primarily on Garnacha and supplemented by Cariñena.
Today, there are more than 2,000 hectares of vines planted in Priorat, but before phylloxera (which arrived in 1890), there were fourfold as many vines. After the epidemic, the majority of people moved to Barcelona and elsewhere to make a living in something other than viticulture.
Scala Dei: In the heights At Scala Dei, some of the historic Cartusian vineyards are still under cultivation today. Initially owned by the monks until 1845 at which point the government took over church properties and sold them to private companies, Scale Dei became the first winery in the area, with 180 acres from the original plots spread throughout 41 vineyards; the largest vineyard totals six acres.
The few who survived on grape growing did so with the production of bulk wine. But, during the 1980s, the area saw its first recognition of quality wines from Priorat, eventually earning Spain’s highest quality designation – DOCa.
Although Scala Dei’s wine was shown at the Paris Exposition in 1878, the modern winery wasn’t established until 1973. In 1974, the first Priorat was bottled – called Carrtoixa, which was the name of the Cartusian monastery.
Despite Priorat’s international acclaim, the region is still quite
The vineyards span a range of elevations with the lower altitude
isolated and desolate. The village located nearest to the Salmos winery is El Lloar, but when we tried to get coffee on a Saturday afternoon around 4:00 PM, we were told that we’d have to wait until 7:00 PM when the guy running the pharmacy closed it for night and opened up the coffee shop.
vineyards situated at 1500 feet above sea level, while higher altitude vines exist at 1800-2600 feet above sea level. Due to the altitude, there is no Cariñena planted at Scala Dei since it is not warm enough to ripen the grapes sufficiently. However, it is the best place to grow Garnacha, ripening much later than elsewhere in the region due to the height. Consequently, the maturation process is slower and cooler, which avoids burnt skins and results in potential alcohol levels of only ~14% at harvest.
Moreover, it is not for the faint of heart. Most producers are relatively small, producing an average of 30,000 to 100,000
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Interestingly, Scala Dei chooses not to de-stem its high altitude grapes because the tannins add aging potential to the wine. Moreover, when Ricard Rofes arrived at the winery in 2007, he had the opportunity to taste wines from Scala Dei’s library. What he found surprised him – the wines from the 1970s were fresher than those from the 1980s. Rofes searched the records to see what, if anything, had changed between the two decades and discovered that in the 1970s, there were no destemmers, no stainless steel (only concrete), no temperature control (they used sulfur) and large wooden vats. Conversely, during the 1980s, Bordeaux
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style vinification came into vogue, while the 1990s brought a Burgundian philosophy with an emphasis on single vineyards and village names. While these latter wines were probably great to drink early, there was less aging potential for them as a result of this winemaking philosophy. Today, Scala Dei seeks to make wines in both styles to please a range of consumers, but does so deliberately and with careful attention to each stage of production.
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almos: A hope and prayer come true
Despite its youth as a winery, the Salmos – meaning psalm – project, owned by the Torres family, started in 1996 when Miguel Torres decided to do wine in Priorat. However, the family has desired to own land and make wine in Priorat as early as 1950. The 80 hectare estate is planted to Cariñena, Garnacha and Syrah, with grapes purchased from older vineyards to supplement their own production. Run by Miguel’s daughter, Mirea, the wines are a blend of the varieties. Mireia suggests that in such a blend, the Cariñena is analogous to Cabernet Sauvignon, while Garnacha behaves most like Merlot.
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Clos Galena: From leaden to lighter hearts
24Merche Perez, Clos Galena
Established at roughly the same time as Salmos, Clos Galena is situated on the southern limits of Priorat. Named for the crystalized lead that was mined nearby, Miguel Pérez Cerrada dedicated almost two decades of his life to the family-owned winery, while his wife Merche ran her pharmacy. With an emphasis first and foremost on the vines, the majority of money was directed into the organic vineyard. However, over time, the winery’s success necessitated the need to invest in the winery and build a larger cellar, which it did this summer. As evidence of Miguel’s passion, once on a visit to New York City Miguel and Merche were forced to evacuate their hotel room due to a fire. As they walked down the stairs to safety, she was thinking of her daughter back in Spain potentially about to become an orphan, while her husband audibly lamented the bottles of wine left in their room. But, when her husband died suddenly in April 2013, Merche decided to carry on his dream with the help of close friends who have rallied around her. Although the adjustment has been very emotional and challenging for her, Merche is beginning to make her own mark on the winery as she explores the link between art and wine. Connecting with local artists, Clos Galena has featured their art on its labels and decorative crates.
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Mas Blanc I Jove: The Art of Wine
The isolated DO of Costers del Segre is the most westerly of the Catalonian DOs. Here, a small handful of wineries cultivate a scant 300 hectares of vines where there are more olives grown than grapes. The area’s high elevation - higher than that of Priorat - means that the cooler climate forces growers to pick at the end of October with the harvest occasionally lasting until late November or even early December, depending upon the year. Sometimes, there is snow on the ground by then. Among the few wineries operating in the region is Mas Blanch I Jove. Although this husband and wife team both come from farming families, they chose to start an iron company in 1975, which proved to be quite successful. But, despite their financial success, the family led a simple life, remaining close to home and never going anywhere. Then, in 1984, the family won an all-expense paid trip to London that forever changed them; it opened up their eyes to travel. They starting traveling from that point forward and have since been to China, India and Canada among other exciting destinations. In addition to expanding their geographic horizons, the family has expanded its interests into the worlds of wine and art. Since the winery is essentially a hobby (their iron business continues to support them financially), they are able to combine these passions, using all of the money earned in the winery to support “starving artists.” Noticing that artists make very little money in pursuit of their dreams, they commission local artists each year. Accordingly, a walk through their vineyard is almost like walking through a sculpture garden since various works of art are scattered throughout the estate
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LEON & TORRES:
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The FRENCH MODERNISTS Founded in 1870, the Torres family name has been synonymous with quality wine for several generations. But, it wasn’t until the mid-1960s that modern viticulture and winemaking really took hold for the company. At the time, Spanish wines were not particularly well regarded internationally; instead, the approach to creating a quality wine was to “copy and paste” France. Consequently, the winery focused on planting Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, ultimately producing its Milmanda and Mas La Plana wines, respectively. These vines continue to flourish today, resulting in long-lived wines with power and concentration. However, as Spanish wines have developed a reputation on their own, the Torres family has also embraced more traditional varieties such as the Garnacha, Mazuelo, Garro, Samso and Cariñena blend of its Grans Muralles. Charting a similar course in viticulture, Jean Leon took a circuitous route from Spain and back before establishing “…the first French winery outside of France” in 1963. After leaving Spain at a young age, Jean Leon first went to Paris and then to New York, initially working as a busboy and then driving a NYC taxi (#3055 – now the name of the winery’s base line). After New York, it was off to Los Angeles where he worked at Frank Sinatra’s restaurant and eventually opened the renowned La Scala restaurant in Hollywood. With his financial success, Leon returned to Spain, purchased land in Catalonia and pulled out indigenous varieties to plant French varieties. Unfortunately, Jean Leon died in 1996 of cancer, but the winery is currently owned by the Torres family who were good friends with Jean Leon during his lifetime.
Philippe Miecaze and daughter Elise
Miguel A. Torees Drink Wisely & Well
A FOOD PORN ADDICT’s WET DREAM
Josep Roca, El Celler de Can Roca
In the town of Girona, an hour and a half north of Barcelona, the Roca brothers -- Jordi, Josep and Joan -- continue to rack up Michelin stars (they earned their third star in 2009) and worldwide acclaim. Currently ranked as the #2 restaurant in the world on Restaurant magazine’s “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list, El Celler de Can Roca ceded the top spot it held in 2013 to Noma in 2014. For true foodies, Can Roca is a reservation worth pursuing. The multi-course meal (choose from a 14-dish Classic Menu or the 20course Festival Menu) is a feast for all of the senses with each dish not only artfully plated, but scientifically crafted, before being lovingly presented by the server. For example, in a quest to texturize Cava, the Roca brothers collaborated with Cava producer Augusti Torello Mata on a revolutionary product – a solid Cava. To complement the amazing meal, the restaurant’s wine list comes in three hefty volumes – reds, whites and sparkling wines – each of which are weighty tomes requiring careful study, stamina and the strength to hold them aloft. During a special insider tour of the restaurant’s wine cellar, Josep Roca revealed his reverence for several key categories, notably Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.
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Drink Wisely & Well
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Front cover: Perelada’s Finca Garbet in Emporda; Back Cover: Alta Alella and Barcelona