The lesson here is not to dismiss wines after the first sip and find creative ways to enjoy them. Cheers.
Total Wine exclusive in AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
Focusing on the world of wines, beer, and spirits that we experience through our travels at WineCompass.com and theCompass Craft Beverage Finder.
The lesson here is not to dismiss wines after the first sip and find creative ways to enjoy them. Cheers.
Total Wine exclusive in AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, NY, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI
There was plenty of sparkling wine on display during the Catalan Wines USA Master Class & Wine Tasting last month. For an overview of the region and Master Class, please see Catalan Wines USA Master Class -- Catalunya's Grapes, Designations, and Wine-making History. Here, we will focus on D.O. Cava and the many expressions poured at the event.
D.O. Cava encompasses multiple areas within Catalonia but is almost 95% within Penedès. It was established in 1991 and highlights the traditional home to this sparkling wine, although today Aragon, Navarra, Rioja, Pais Vasco, Valencia and Extremadura have specific Cava demarcated areas. The traditional grape varieties used in Cava were Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir now also being used. "Macabeo makes up around half of a typical Cava blend – not because of its flavor (it is quite bland), but because it represents a viticultural insurance policy. Macabeo vines bud relatively late in the spring, ensuring that their flowers and grapes are safe from early frosts. The interesting, slightly earthy flavors that distinguish Cava from most Champagnes are generally attributed to Xarel-lo grapes". -- wine-searcher.com
Finca Ca n'Estella is a small, third generation operated, and family owned winery located northwest of Barcelona and based out of an 1800 winery and farmhouse. The estate is protected from the north winds by the Montserrat mountains and its proximity to the Mediterranean sea provides a temperate climate. They poured the Cava Rabetllat i Vidal Brut Nature ($20) which is composed of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Macabeo, and 20% Xarel-lo. Winemaker Miquel Medall allowed this non-vintage Cava to mature two years in the bottle. The bready - yeasty aroma leads to tight effervescence due to the fine bubbles and a delicious dried fruit profile.
Canals & Munné is another small winery located just outside of Barcelona that was founded in 1915 by Josep Canals Capellades, great-grandfather of the current oenologist Òscar Canals. The winery's name arises from the union of Josep's son, Josep Mª Canals Casanovas and Dolors Torres Munné - the parents of current manager Montserrat Canals Torres. They operate two wineries, the original 1915 facility dedicated to weekend wine tourism, and a newer facility located between the vineyards. They poured a trio of sparkling wine starting with the Insuperable Brut ($16). This is a fresh and textured blend of Macabeu 40%, Xarel·lo 30% & Parellada 30% aged 25 months with a floral nose and a yeasty dried nuts profile. The Dionysus Brut Nature ($18) is a blend of 30% Chardonnay, 60% Macabeo, and 10% Xarel-lo aged 22 months with another floral nose and a lengthy dry profile. Finally, the Lola Rose Pinot Noir – Brut ($25) is 100% Pinot Noir aged 20 months and has a delicious concentration of red fruits balanced with delicate and persistent bubbles.
Castell d'Age poured a single Cava in the Anne Marie Brut Nature Reserva ($20). This is a non-vintage blend of 40% Xarel·lo, 40% Macabeu, & 20% Parellada that is aged a minimum of two years. The fruit from this delicious sparkling wine are grown in slate and clay-limestone soils from three estates located in the D.O. Penedès and situated on the southern slope of the Montserrat mountains. The winery is the result of three generations of woman, Aurèlia Figueras, daughter Anne Marie Comtesse who pioneered the introduction of organic farming, and granddaughter Olivia Junyent.
Covides is a cooperative that was founded in 1963 and is comprised of 600 grape growers across the Penedès region. These estates amount to over 2,000 hectares of vines spread out over 50 municipalities. The cooperative operates three winery facilities distributed evenly through Penedès to ameliorate the distances, means of transport, and transit time for the member growers. Since 2013, most of the vineyards are organically farmed and these vineyards cover the four major sub-terriors: Coastal Vineyards, Massif Vineyards (high active lime content ), Vineyards of the Plain, and High altitude vineyards. The Covides Vineyards Elocuente Brut ($12) is an excellent entry level sparkling wine, aged 13 months, with tight persistent bubbles providing a bready and fruity profile. The Covides Vineyards Elocuente Rosé ($13) is 100% Trepat -- an indigenous grape that is known to make fresh, berry-flavored sparkling wine. Exactly. Duc de Foix is the Covides premium brand and the Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2017 ($50) is a stately blend of mostly Xarel·lo with lesser amounts of Macabeu and Parellada that is aged a minimum of 30 months in the bottle. There's abundant texture of toasted nuts with candied fruit and a long effervescent finish.
One of my favorite sparkling wines was the Panot Gaudi Reserva Brut ($19) from Ferrer Wines. This is a blend of 40% Xarel·lo, 20% Macabeu, and 15% Chardonnay aged at least 18 months. It's intoxicating and not from the 11.5% alcohol; complex, tight bubbles, and lasting fruit and toasted bread. This is probably what one would expect from Pedro Ferrer Noguer and one of the oldest wineries in the D.O. Cava -- Cavas Hill founded in 1887.
The final Cava wines, and apologies to any that I missed, were the premium trio from Agusti Torello Mata. This winery was born in Penedès in 1955 by the winery's namesake and today produces over 500,000 bottles of Cava each year. They source from 150 organic vineyards in the Valls d'Anoia-Foix where the grapes are hand harvested from at least 30-year-old vines. Today the winery is operated by his children -- Àlex, who is the winemaker, technical and viticulture director, and Gemma, who is the lawyer and administrator of the company. Their Rosat Trepart 2021 ($29) is 100% Trepat from 30 year old organic vines from the Obach Estate in Mediona, located 800m high with clay and slate soils. The wine is aged 19 months in the bottle and is dry with a charming red fruit profile with lasting effervescence. The Barrica 2018 ($50) is 100% Macabeu that was vinified six months in French oak and then aged four years in the bottle. It provides plenty of a floral and fruity aroma, yeasty toasted notes, with a textured and creamy body, and lasting finish. The Kripta Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2016 ($130) is their flagship cuvee bottled in a distinct, amphora-shaped bottle. It is a blend of 45%, Macabeu (from Vinya Vicari planted in 1962), 35% Parellada ()from Vinya Lola planted in 1969, and 20% Xarel·lo (from Vinya Mercader planted in 1974). Each bottle is hand-riddled and disgorged and spends 84 months on the lees. Yes, seven years. The wine starts with fine and persistent bubbles leading to a complex nature and a silky texture. Expect a very long finish.
At $18 retail SRP, these are tremendous values which we plan to have on hand during our Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Cheers.
Disclosure: We received samples from Ron Rubin Winery in order to share our opinion about their products, but this isn’t a sponsored post.
Since moving to Livermore, Page Mill Winery's estate vineyard has been farmed organically and driving into the premises visitors immediately notice the cover crops and tractor-pulled chicken coup. The chickens help control the insects and babydoll sheep are an alternative to mowing as their manure also acts as a fertilizer. In fact. "sheep offer some of the best natural fertilizers as their manure pellets take time to dissolve into the soil". And in 2019, Stark moved toward biodynamic farming with the first release of biodynamic wines planned for the 2022 vintage.
In the meantime, Page Mill's current portfolio is outstanding. We started with a lively 2021 Livermore Valley Sauvignon Blanc followed by the 2021 San Francisco Bay Chardonnay. The grapes derive from Page Mill's former location near the Santa Cruz Mountains. Interestingly the hierarchy of AVAs starts with the Central Coast AVA then down to the San Francisco Bay AVA which the Livermore Valley AVA is a sub-AVA within. We sampled a range of reds that truly showcased the diversity of the region from cool-climate Pinot Noir to a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. My favorite was the GPS - a blend of Grenache, Petite Sirah, and Syrah that just melts the palate. Looking forward to posting on its longevity by opening the 2016 I purchased.I also want to return on the third Sunday of every month for Page Mill's BYOB program where consumers can fill one of their bottles for $10. A great idea.
I have a feeling I will be returning very soon seeing the Scott Kurt is scheduled for several nights starting this weekend to into December. And as always, theCompass Craft Beverage Finder will guide you there.
Fortunately, some of Cantele's portfolio is available in the United States, most definitely through Total Wine. If you can visit Lecce, great, if not, explore the region through these wines. Cheers.
"It should come as no surprise that the key soil types here are Jurassic limestone and marlstone. The Jurassic period was named after Jura because the region's limestone mountains are representative of the geological developments which occurred between 145 million and 200 million years ago. The name of L'Etoile, the village which is home to one of Jura's most distinctive appellations, is said to be derived from the star-shaped marine fossils which characterize its limestone-rich soils (etoile is French for 'star'). Chablis and the upper Loire Valley are built on a similar geological structure". -- wine-searcher
DalGobboM - Own work CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Although our package didn't include a Vin Jaune, it showcased three of Domaine Noir Freres' most prolific grape varieties. Limestone = pinot noir and the Côtes du Jura Pinot Noir - 2018 is exceptional. The structure is solid, surrounded by light cherries and decent tannins. Similar to the family's Poligny vineyard being located in the heart of Jura and saturated in limestone and marlstone. Pre-phylloxera, red wine grapes dominated the region, and Jura Pinot Noir may move the ratio closer to older times.
That being said, Savagnin Blanc is the region's signature grape and it provides a spicy and funky profile to 100% varietal or blended wines. Domaine Noir Freres banishes the grape to 12 to 24 months in oak for the Côtes du Jura Cuvée " Creux d'enfer" - 2018 Savagnin Floral and expect a vibrant floral aroma. The wine has a Roussanne-ish quality with great depth. And the 24-month aged Côtes du Jura Cuvée Tradition - 2018 blended with Chardonnay has similar Roussanne pungent perfume qualities with major spicy and nutty notes. I would love a 750ml of this lady.
2017 Bluestone Vineyard Estate Cabernet Franc ($25.50)
The grapes were grown in the highest elevation block of their estate and only free-run juice was fermented and then 40% aged in new French and 60% Hungarian oak. Bright cherry aroma, layers of dark fruit, finishing with firm and chewy tannins. Best feature - lack of vegetable or green peppers characters.