Raising the Stakes Catalunya’s Young Producers Turn to Indigenous Varieties and Single-Vineyard Expressions to Reveal the Soul of the Region in Spain’s Northeast + In-Store, All-Day Saturday Tasting

Homage to Catalonia: Join Us for Saturday Sips to Celebrate “La Diada de Sant Jordi’

‘La Diada de Sant Jordi’ falls on April 23 in the Catalan holiday calendar, a day of books and roses, and it is a great reason to resume our all-day, in-store Saturday Sips. Among the themes we will be exploring in weeks to come is ‘vinecology’—the agricultural and techno-fixes that will alter the world of wine as profoundly as global climate change is altering traditional (and non-traditional) wine growing areas.

The New Catalunya

To a wine novice, France may seem to be a bottomless morass of rules and regulations, appellations and multi-syllabic, hyphenated names.

Spain suffers from the opposite misinterpretation: It is often oversimplified.

When the conversation turns to Spanish wine, many people are lost after the word Rioja is mentioned. They may have a surface familiarity with Cava based primarily on price, but may not be aware that Freixenet (the top-selling brand) is even Spanish.

The truth is, heavy, overly-oaked Riojas and inexpensive Cava have long been efficiently sellable standards that animated the American market, and even Spanish consumers may not be familiar with the spectacular array of styles and varieties that make their nation every bit the equal of the world’s other wine producing countries.

Not only that, but Spain produces more wine than any other country after Italy.

The Spanish wine renaissance of recent decades may be playing out best in Catalunya—the ‘land of castles’—a fascinating autonomous community in the northeast corner of the Iberian Peninsula. For many years, like much of Europe, young people moved away from an agricultural life in pursuit of cosmopolitan prospects.

Recently, however, the flight has reversed course and young people intent on creating artisan wines are finding new opportunities in an ancient culture. They are moving away from the trend-driven varieties that gained a foothold during the 1990s (Merlot, Cabernet and Syrah) and many are focused on an array of local grapes like Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Garnatxa Blanca and Parellada along with indigenous reds like Garnatxa, Monastrell and Trepat. Styles are also moving away from heavy wood-soaked Rioja and toward freshness, acidity and finer structure. And a growing number of smaller Spanish producers have rejected industrial farming in favor of organic and biodynamic practices in hopes of a sustainable future where this time, their own children may decide to stick around.

(Climate) Change is Afoot in Catalunya

With apologies to Professor Higgins, the rain in Spain is not only dodging the plains, it’s playing havoc up and down the entire Mediterranean coast, extending from Spain to North Africa and Sicily as well. Last year, this persistent drought ranked among the ten most costly climate disasters in the world, and in real time, Catalunya is undergoing the worst drought in a century, with water reserves at 16% of capacity. Hotels are filling swimming pools with seawater and those whose livelihoods are tied to agriculture are wondering what the intensity of this summer will bring; last year, fruit growers threw out entire crops in order to use their diminishing water supplies to save their trees. Even traditionally dry-farmed industries like olive production and wine growing are crippled by these severe heat waves, and farmers who irrigate have it even worse, since by law, they are the first ones to relinquish water rights.

Adaptation to the climate crisis is happening throughout Catalunya; there is no other choice. But to date, much of it is improvised and tends to take place only when the worst has already happened. Like the old Inuit following the caribou, modern winemakers are being forced to follow the thermometer, and this has led to an exploration of vineyard space in regions that were once too cold to produce reliable harvests.

Counter or Adapt

With equal apologies to Jim Morrison and The Doors: Girl, when your vineyards becomes as hot as a funeral pyre, take it higher. The most delicious irony in changing weather patterns may be that regions once considered too cold for vines are warming to the point that they can produce quality wines. In Catalunya, vineyards at the foothills of the Pyrenees are being planted at altitudes up to 4,000 feet. “Twenty-five years ago, it would have been impossible,” says Miguel Torres Maczassek of Familia Torres. “At higher elevations, peak temperatures are not necessarily much cooler, but intense heat lasts for shorter periods and nighttime temperatures are colder than at lower altitudes. This increased diurnal shift (the temperature swing over the course of a day) helps grapes to ripen at a more even pace, over a longer period of time, than where temperatures remain relatively stable.”

But pushing altitudes also creates challenges: Soils, particularly on slopes, are generally poorer, water is scarcer and unexpected weather events like frosts and hailstorms are always a threat. Whereas this may ultimately result in better wine overall, the challenges for winemakers are prodigious. In the northeast of Spain, including coastal vineyards, the response has been two-fold: Adapt current vineyards to the ‘new normal’ by replanting to more heat-tolerant varieties, or eke out space at higher elevations to take advantage of the plus-side of a global negative.

The Vigneron’s Dilemma

It’s no secret that grape vines have been known to produce the best wines where the challenges are greatest. Vines placed under natural stress, struggling to find water and nutrients, tend to produce fruit that is more vibrant in flavor and balanced in acid with smoother tannins. Sites that are flat, well-irrigated and sunny have long been considered ‘no-brainer terroirs’ that overproduce and under-perform. This is where bulk grocery-store wine generally originates.

When challenged by drought, producers of this industrial-style wine reach into pockets deeper than the aquifers, and they will survive. The small winegrower, faced with mounting losses and plummeting harvests, are like the vines themselves: Sooner or later, they simply wither away.

And it is not just dryness. In Penedès, 2020 brought two times the rain of a normal year, which was followed by three years of drought. The unpredictable nature of climate change takes an emotional toll on the winemakers as well as a financial one. The dilemma they face is often less about a desire to change and more about the clock: It is well-established that vineyards stationed at higher altitudes are able to retain more water and produce higher-quality grapes, and that some varieties are more drought-resistant than others. But starting over in new regions takes time, and as climatic conditions worsen, sadly, time is a resource that many wineries simply do not have.

Back to Roots: Indigenous Grapes

Ironically, most Americans are very familiar with French grape varieties even though they rarely appear on French wine labels. California is largely responsible for this phenomenon, an appellation that in its youth was less sold on terroir and more on identifying and exploiting popular flavors. That has changed, of course, but variety almost always figures prominently on California labels, even those that also tout a given patch of land.

Following this trend as a means of increasing market share, Spain tore out many thousands of acres of indigenous grapes in favor of flavor-of-the-month. Graced by an ideal climate under which many these varieties thrived, a move back to the roots (literally) of winemaking has prompted the revival of those grapes that grew in Spain initially. To a neophyte, these names may look like the typist had his finger on the wrong row of keys, but each of them—Tinta del Pais, Ull de Llebre, Cencibel, Pedro Ximénez et al.—have their own unique profile and create wines unparalleled elsewhere in the world.

Penedès Wine: Uphill, Wealth of Indigenous Grape Riches

About an hour south of Barcelona, nestled splendidly between the mountains and the sea, Penedès is the most active growing region in Catalunya. The area contains some of the oldest wine-growing appellations in Europe and produces consistently and reliably thanks to a variety of terroirs. The region is best known for Cava, Spain’s answer to Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine, generally made from the trio of indigenous grapes: Macabeu, Parellada, and Xarel·lo, occasionally enhanced with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnatxa, and Monastrell. All of these are permitted in various concentrations for Cava blends.

Roughly divided into three subzones, the mountainous Alt-Penedès produces the highest quality wine, followed by Baix Penedès in the low-lying coastal areas, and Penedès Central, which is responsible for most of the region’s bulk production.

Although the area has been making wine since the days of the Phoenicians, Penedès’ modern era began in 1960 when its DO designation was granted, and—largely through the efforts of Miguel Torres—the region as a whole began to upgrade production methods, including temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks and experimentation with non-indigenous grape varieties such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, although quality has skyrocketed among all the wines of Penedès, the region remains known primarily for its sparkling wines, making the highly regarded, oak-aged reds and crisp, vibrant whites (especially those made with the Cava standby Xarel·lo) part of a remarkable journey of discovery.

Más de la Pansa
Wine is a Culture.

“For me, wine is culture,” says Imma Soler. “Wine represents the territory, its people and also its way of thinking. It also tells us about traditions, respect and love for the land. It tells us stories and gives us the possibility to discover the gastronomy of each area. And, above all, the dignity and respect for the farmer. Without a doubt: Wine is passion and a way of life.”

Soler—whose wines radiate the same energy as her ‘solar’ name—started Mas de la Pansa in 2016, intent on championing grapes native to Catalunya, tending to her family’s old-vine Macabeu and Parellada in Alt Camp, and especially, the Trepat vines in neighboring Conca de Barberà.

Imma Soler, Mas de la Pansa

“Trepat is a red-wine grape used most conspicuously in the sparkling rosado Cavas, but may appear in blends along with Garnacha and Tempranillo,” Imma explains. She goes on to share an interesting story about the horse depicted on the label of her Trepat bottling: “This is a tribute to Vermell, the horse that saved the life of my father when he was only three years old. My grandfather was working in the field when Vermell stopped in his tracks and refused to continue the row.  He wouldn’t do it because at his feet he saw the little boy, my father.”

As seen through this poignant label, Mas de la Pansa is not just a wine project; it is a way for Imma to connect her roots while honoring the family legacy and to contribute to the preservation of the landscape and wine culture of the Tarragona regions. Each bottle is a story of love for the land, work well done and the passion for an authentic and uncompromising wine.

Mas de la Pansa ‘Macabeu’, 2019 Catalunya ($43) White
Made entirely from Macabeu grown in Vila-Rodona, Alt Camp, harvested September 19, 2019 and bottled April 28, 2020. The vineyard was planted in 1960 on a northern slope on clay-calcic soils with pebbles on the surface. Goblet training of the old vines make the yields made smaller by dry conditions throughout the growing season. The grapes macerated and fermented for 15 days in a stainless-steel tank at low temperature; there was no pressing, but rather, the maceration was drained and the fermentation was finished without skin contact, whereupon the wine rested on the lees until bottling. The wine shows notes of creamy custard, apple, pear crumble and hawthorn blossom with a rich, waxy note.

745 bottles made.

Mas de la Pansa ‘Parellada’, 2019 Catalunya ($43) White
Parellada is a variety cultivated throughout Penedès, where, in exceptional locations, the white-skinned grapes pick up a distinctive pinkish hue. Soler drew from a vineyard planted in 1956, harvesting on October 11, 2019. The table-sorted bunches were destemmed, crushed, and allowed to macerate for five days in stainless steel tanks then pressed. After decanting the resulting must, fermentation took place stainless steel and new, fine-grained, lightly toasted French oak barrels. The wine remained on the lees until bottling on April 28, 2020; the wine shows candied stone fruit, dried herbs and nice floral overtones.

1,123 bottles made.

Mas de la Pansa ‘Trepat’, 2020 Conca de Barberà ($53) Red
The grapes were harvested, table-sorted and allowed to macerate and ferment in stainless steel for 29 days; a daily pigeage was given in order to improve extraction. After a gentle pressing, the wine was transferred into new fine-grain, lightly toasted French oak barrels, where matured until bottling.  Light and elegant, the wine shows delicate notes of strawberry and rose petal.

384 bottles made.

L’Enclòs de Peralba
Single Vineyards. Local Varieties. 

The terroir-centered approach to winemaking that has animated Burgundian vignerons for centuries has taken route in Spain, where it finds fertile ground, both in the soil and in the souls of the practitioners. In the Penedès, this is exemplified in the work of cousins Leo and Roc Gramona, who are eager to explore the flavors native to the Penedès landscapes prior to the market dominance of Cava. When Leo—who had studied engineering and Roc, who had worked in his family’s 150-year-old winery Gramona—decided to enter the winemaking fray, they wanted to follow their own course. Their terroir-driven passion is reflected in the name L’Enclòs de Peralba—‘enclos’ means ‘walled vineyard’ in Catalan and ‘peralba’ refers to the calcareous rocks found on elevated areas in Sant Sadurní, whose vineyards were the seed of the project.

Leo and Roc Gramona, L’Enclòs de Peralba

Leo explains, “We had our own ideas at Gramona, but with the winery has so much history and trajectory, it is not easy to change. So we started scouting for some of the vineyards we thought had potential for still wine.”

Roc adds, “L’Enclòs de Peralba gives us the freedom to experiment outside the family business, and focus on single parcels of local varieties. Our is aim to create wines that truly showcase the potential of  Penedès micro-terroirs by practicing old pruning styles, classifying vineyards, and working with local grape varieties. We are trying to share a philosophy, a culture, and put it in a bottle. This is what Champagne has done, and it’s what we want to do with Penedès landscapes and culture.”

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘Vi Fi de Masia’, 2021 Catalunya Penedès ‘Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’ White ($39) White
A rare dynamic blend of Malvasía de Sitges from Cal Manuel and Garnatxa Blanca from Les Camades grown in clay-limestone soils. The grapes are hand-harvested, with the Garnatxa allowed eight hours of pre-fermentation maceration, followed by natural yeast fermentation in concrete eggs. The wine then spends eight months in these eggs, and is only blended at bottling.  The Malvasia brings its floral and aniseed notes and bracing acidity to compliment the naturally rich volume and intensity of the Garnatxa Blanca.

Only 100 cases made.

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘El Tòfol’, 2021 Catalunya Penedès ‘Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’ White ($47) White
100% Macabeu from the three-acre El Tòfol parcel planted in 1969 and now owned by Leo & Roc Gramona. The grapes are hand-harvested, crushed and macerated for several hours before pressing, followed by natural yeast fermentation in tank, then transferred to 300L French oak barrel to finish fermentation. The wine is beautifully nuanced with citrus and chalk, showing brilliant acidity and aromatics reminiscent of peach and orange peel and a nod to minerality at the finish.

Only 2,500 bottles produced.

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘Pistoles’, 2021 Catalunya Penedès Orange ($47) Orange (One Liter)
Orange wine, of course, is an amber-tinted beverage made from white wine grapes that undergo extended skin contact and raised in amphorae. During this process—besides gaining color—the must also acquires tannin and richness. ‘Pistoles’ is a blend of Xarel·lo Vermell and Malvasia from Sitges. It features bitter orange peel and lemongrass, complemented by clover honey and dried apricots.

1,006 bottles filled.

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘Vi Fi de Masia’, 2020 Catalunya Penedès’ Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’ Red ($39) Red
The red version of Vi Fi de Masia is a blend of 80% Garnatxa Negra from Gramona’s Mas Escorpí vineyard with 20% Cariñena from a five-acre parcel of vines farmed by Isabel Vidal on a rocky clay-limestone soil. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed and undergo a seven-day pre-fermentation maceration followed by natural yeast fermentation in three 500L French oak barrels (1 new) and two 300L French oak barrels (1 new) with twice daily pigeage.  The wine displays crunchy, fresh red fruit, cherries, strawberry and red plum with lifted floral notes and a whisper of vanilla on the finish.

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘Els Escorpins’, 2021 Catalunya Penedès ‘Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’ Red ($69) Red
Els Escorpins is sourced from a lot of twenty-year old Garnatxa Negra enlivened with 10% Garnatxa Blanca planted in the Gramona’s Mas Escorpí vineyard in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. The Garnatxa Negra from Mas Escorpí is noted, in particular, for its subtle and delicate red-fruit character, but it is rendered more vivid and vital with the small addition of Garnatxa Blanca.

1,800 bottles filled.

Alemany i Corrió
Tailor-Made with Precision in Field and Cellar.

There are matches made in Heaven and those made in vineyards; credit the latter to the life partnership of Irene Alemany and Laurent Corrio, whose small-batch, low-intervention wines are proving that the Alt-Penedès is among the most exciting places to be making wine today. Great wine is a technical beast, but without the intensity of passion, it loses much of its savor: “Our wine is as soft as a gentle kiss, but one where you end by biting your partner’s lip,” says Irene.

The couple met at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, then apprenticed together in vineyards in France and California. But their future was written in chalk and loam following a visit to Irene’s parents in Lavern in the Penedès; that was when Irene’s father suggested that they consider using the family vines to start their own operation. This treasure trove encompassed several varieties of grapes between 25 and 60 years old. They leapt at the opportunity—their first harvest was in 1999 and their first bottling in 2002. From the beginning, they followed their French training, remaking the classics in their own way, keeping the process as natural as possible while seeking to reflect the expression of the varieties and the character of the terroir to the maximum extent.

Irene Alemany, Alemany i Corrió

In the process, they are credited with producing the first ‘garage’ wines of New Penedès. Their ‘Vi de Garatge’ series may be thought of as ‘tailor-made’ wines relying on precision in both field and cellar.

“What we want to accomplish,” says Irene, “is that when people taste our wines there is something in the soul of the wine that talks to them and will make them remember.”

Alemany i Corrió ‘Principia Mathematica’, 2023 Vi de Garatge ‘Penedès’ ($30) White
Originating with low-yields from a seven-acre plot where the Xarel·lo vines are over fifty years old, Principia Mathematica was fermented in French oak (10% new) and aged for ten months in foudres/stainless steel. The wine shows a Meursault-esque butteriness beneath crisp white stone fruit, notably apricot, defined by a light toasted-almond undertow.

8,400 bottles made.

Alemany i Corrió ‘Cargol Treu Vi’, 2022 Vi de Garatge ‘Penedès’ ($31) White
Another pure Xarel·lo beauty; Cargol Treu Vi comes from 75-year-old vines planted on chalky soil, then vinified on wild yeast in 300-liter French oak barrels, 25% new. The wine shows spring flowers, stone fruit and lemon zest behind hints of smoke with a long, salt-tinged finish.

2,100 bottles produced.

Alemany i Corrió “Pas Curtei’, 2022 Vi de Garatge ‘Penedès’ ($28) Red
New meets old in this 20% Merlot, 60% Carinyena, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon blend from vines between 15 and 70 years old. It fermented destemmed after a five-day cold soak and matured in French oak barrels and a 1,000-liter oak foudre for 14 to 16 months. It shows rose and exotic spice on the nose, with a rich, ripe palate of cherry, blackberry and cassis intermixed with graphite, peat and light smoke.

833 cases produced.

Alemany i Corrió ‘Sot Lefriec’, 2018 Vi de Garatge ‘Penedès’ ($87) Red
Sot Lefrìec is Alemany i Corrio’s flagship red, made from a hand-sorted blend of 50% Carinyena, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from their oldest vineyards. All grapes are manually harvested and placed in small boxes after vineyard pre-sort. At winery, they are destemmed and undergo cold-soak maceration for more than a month. Malo fermentation takes place in new and single-use oak barrels where the wines rests for 22 months. Mature, robust and intense, it displays of ripe black current, forest floor, mushroom and elegant notes of leather, with a spine of freshness provided by the Carinyena.

125 cases produced.

Uvala (Celler VallDolina)
Sensitive Expression of the Landscape

Based at Can Tutusaus, in the center of the remote village of Olesa de Bonesvalls in the Garraf Natural Park, VallDolina has become a pet project of husband and wife Raimon and Anna Badell, whose award-winning Cava is proudly featured on the shelves here at Elie’s. As a team, Raimon and Anna have replanted ancient terraces in a rocky landscape otherwise dominated by pine trees interspersed with glimpses of the Mediterranean Sea. The oldest vines at VallDolina were planted by Raimon’s father during a last-century’s craze for international grape varieties, and the Merlot remains an outstanding Spanish example of this variety.

The estate and its surrounding pine groves of has stood since 1348, but it was only in 1729 that the country house was rebuilt within the village of Olesa, where the cellar is presently situated. The property comprises several acres of olive groves—resuscitated after years of neglect—and about thirty acres of vines. The rest is a maze of pine and oak forests, dwarf shrubs, brooms, fennel, rosemary, thyme, lavender and dwarf palms.

Raimon Badell

In 1987, seduced by this mysterious land, Joan Badell bottled his first wines and planted his first trained vines. In 1999, his son Raimon, who was then studying oenology, became a close collaborator and opted to turn the estate toward ecological and biodynamical agriculture. In 2006, oenologist Ferran Gil García joined the VallDolina Viticulturists and Winemakers of Can Tutusaus project, and began tending the vineyards. Their joint efforts has made possible the production of a white wine, a rosé, three outstanding reds and three different types of Cava.

“We only work with grapes picked from this estate,” says Raimon, “where vines are situated between 800 and 1500 feet above sea level, bordering the Natural Park of the Massif of Garraf. The vineyards grow on hills with calcareous-clay soil and produce where the climate is distinctly Mediterranean, strongly influenced by the vicinity of the sea.”

Anna adds, “VallDolina identifies with the territory with the aim that our wines offer a sensitive expression of the landscape, with the idea of determining the different tasks following the lunar calendar as our grandparents did and at the same time using agricultural concepts the most environmentally friendly.”

Uvala ‘Brisat – Xarel·lo’, 2022 Catalunya ‘Natural’ ($33) Orange
‘Brisa’ is a Catalan word meaning ‘pomace’ and ‘Brisat’ refers to the prolonged skin contact this wine underwent through the fermentation process. The wine shows straw yellow with pink highlights; the aroma is gorgeous, filled with citrus, peach, flowers and herbs that follow through the delicate fruity mouth and a pleasant tannins in a long finish.

130 cases produced.

Uvala ‘Marselan’, 2021 Catalunya ‘Natural’ ($34) Red
Marselan is a red wine grape that is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, first bred in 1961 by Paul Truel near the French town of Marseilles. The first Spanish Marselan grapes were planted in 1990 and have made a little headway in Catalunya. VallDolina’s version is softly kissed with aromas of bramble fruits (raspberry and blackberry), cassis and ripe cherry accompanied by spicy notes of cinnamon and clove.

130 cases produced.

The Alt Penedès Region
La Vall del Riu Anoia

One of the most celebrated growing regions, the Anoia river valley in the Penedès, has long been seen as having the stuff to create truly great Cava; the soils, formed by sandstone and clay, sit on calcareous bedrock created from marine fossils. This allows for a water reserve that helps vines through dry spells. The river basin, the ‘Conca del Riu Anoia’ produces sparkling wines with a marked mineral and saline character and a very fine mesh of bubbles. Within this small region (surrounding the valley between the Anoia and Foix Rivers in eastern Penedès), new-wave Cava makers have discovered that the individual character of local villages and vineyards are capable of expressing these characteristics in a unique and identifiable way. Combined with tightened regulations—among which are the use of indigenous varieties only, extended lees time and restricted vineyard yields—these new sparkling wines are ideal not only for celebrating landmark dates on your calendar, but are their own celebration of youthful passion and commitment.

Can Sumoi
Returning to Nature 

Meet Pepe Raventós and Francesc Escala: A pair of childhood buddies who are living the dream—their own dream, of course, in the backwoods of Catalunya. Having found Can Sumoi (an agricultural farm dating to 1645) in the mountains of the Baix Penedès where they realized their vision and dreams in the remarkable landscape and passion for natural wines.

They purchased the property from an ailing farmer, Josep Mateu, whom they have allowed to live on in the farmhouse where he was born. Having grown up in a culture where hard work was a condition of survival, Mateu is able to appreciate the vigor of the young men to whom the torch has been passed.

The estate sprawls across a thousand acres, of which fewer than fifty are vineyards, planted to Parellada, Xarel·lo and Sumoll. Reaching elevations of nearly two thousand feet, orientation of the vines depends on variety; Parellada, for example, prefers eastern and western exposures. The sea, which can be seen in the east, has left its influence her, and the terroir is filled with marine fossils that are over a million years old. So clear is the atmosphere at this elevation that, on days without wind, you can see Mallorca and the Ebro Delta.

Pepe Raventós, Can Sumoi

Almost 800 acres of the farm is woodland, and as Josep Mateu looks back at his life, he says, “Now that the forest has been gaining ground from the vineyard, between the trunks of the holm oaks you can see the white pines and tall oak trees, the old dry stone walls we built many years ago to facilitate the cultivation of the vines in terraces.”

This return to nature is the cornerstone of Pepe Raventós’ approach to vine cultivation and the natural wines of Raventós i Blanc. He says, “I’m not a great specialist in biodynamics, but I observe the countryside and I see how it responds. If we apply its methodology and in a few years I see that the earth is more alive, more balanced and we are getting better wines, I continue to apply it … of course.”

Can Sumoi ‘Xarel·lo’, 2023 Penedès ‘Natural’ ($26) White
A striking still-wine example of this unusual variety, generally used in sparkling wine, from vineyards located at 1800 feet on clay-calcareous soils. After the manual harvest, the grapes are destemmed and gently pressed in an inert atmosphere. Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel on yeasts native to the vineyard. Once the alcoholic fermentation has ended, the wine goes through the malolactic fermentation spontaneously, then rests on lees for 3 months, with bâtonnage twice a week. It is bottled without stabilizing or filtering and shows Xarel-lo’s characteristic peach, crisp green apple and toasted almond notes.

Can Sumoi ‘La Rosa – Sumoll + Xarel·lo’, 2023 Penedès ‘Natural’ ($24) Rosé
An aromatic rosé made from high-altitude Xarel·lo and Sumoll, destemmed, lightly crushed and briefly macerated, with fermentation carried out in stainless steel tanks on indigenous yeasts. A distinct and elegant expression of Mediterranean character with wild strawberry and citrus notes behind a springtime floral bouquet.

Can Sumoi ‘Sumoll + Garnatxa’, 2022 Penedès ‘Natural’ ($29) Red
Garnatxa by any other name would smell as sweet, and when blended with Sumoll, it offers an intense nose of wild fruits and Mediterranean forest herbs. Made from an equal combination of Sumoll and Grenache, Can Sumoi’s ‘Sumoll Garnatxa’ first sorts grapes harvested from biodynamic vineyards filled with rocky, clay and limestone soils sitting at 2000 feet elevation, one of Penedès’ highest points. The grapes were harvested during September, destemmed and hand (or rather, foot) pressed in an inert atmosphere, then spontaneously fermented in stainless steel tanks for 15 days, then kept in the tanks for a full year, after which it was bottled and aged for a further 6 months without added sulfites before hitting the market. It is light and elegant with the crisp acidity inherent in mountain wines.

Cellers Carol Vallès
Past and Future. Tradition and Innovation.

The family affair that reenforces Cellers Carol Vallès began more than a century ago when Joan Carol’s grandfather bought Can Parellada, an old farmhouse in Subirats in the heart of Penedès. With his partner Teresa Vallès, Joan Carol founded Carol Vallès in 1996 and began to sell the cavas that his family had made with such dedication for years.

“’Parellada and Faura’ bears the surnames of my mother,” Joan say. “’Guillem Carol’ is named in honor of my son. Past and future. Tradition and innovation.”

Teresa adds, “It’s our strong commitment to the traditional method plus unique blends and the long aging that, little by little, have allowed our cellar to earn its reputation.”

Guillem Carol, Cellers Carol Vallès

The estate surrounding Can Parellada covers a relatively small area of 32 acres located about eight hundred feet above sea level. Vineyards grow on calcareous clay soils and are predominately Xarel·lo and Macabeu between 45 years and 70 years old. Smaller plots contain Chardonnay and Parellada.

Currently, son Guillem and his team have taken the Carol Vallès helm, and works with the same concern, passion and values that saw the birth of the project. He says, “I have a strong commitment to the environment, the long aged cavas, a strong commitment to sustainability and wine tourism—the past, as it blends seamlessly into the future.”

Cellers Carol Vallès ‘Parellada i Faura’ 2021 Cava Reserva Brut-Nature ($22) Sparkling
30% Parellada, 30% Xarel·lo and 40% Macabeu aged on lees for over two years. A fruity and lively cava reflecting prominent notes of peach and lemon peel with apple, butter and peach. 10,000 bottles were filled. Disgorged July, 2024.

Celler Casajou
The Vineyard as the Protagonist.

A common theme found in the stories of young winemakers in Penedès is a return to their roots. Laia Esmel, along with her partner Jaume Vilaseca, did exactly that: “For us it is vital to be connected to the rural essence and nature to make vibrant wines,” Laia says. “That is why, after years of gathering experience traveling and meeting exceptional personalities, we decided to return to the place of our childhood, Sant Jaume Sesoliveres, a rural town in the valley of the Anoia River between Montserrat and the Mediterranean Sea.”

The move came in 2020, so they are still new to the game. “We consider the vineyard to be the protagonist in our adventure,” Jaume shares. “Many times in nature, things seem to be out of order, without explanations and without clear answers. Accepting this reality is the first step to understanding our terroir and working in harmony with it. We strive to produce vintage wines that are an authentic expression of the soils and climate we have. In doing so, we can celebrate the elegance and complexity of nature, even in its apparent lack of order.”

Laia Esmel, Celler Casajou

The winery is split into two projects: Casajou is focused on making precise, elegant Champagne-method sparkling wines. And with their friend Oriol, they are making ‘pétillant naturel’ wines from newly-planted vines under the label Celler Dumenge. Pét-nats are made in a manner that predates the so-called traditional method used in Cava; rather than inducing a second fermentation in the bottle to create the bubbles, as Champagne producers do, makers of pét-nat simply bottle the wine before the initial fermentation has ended.

A Zen-like respect for the natural and almost childlike fascination with viticulture is the thread that runs through Laia and Jaume’s conversations. Laia says, “We believe in giving the grapes all the time they need to become a free wine, and we work at all times to guide them until they are bottled. Pruning, work in the vineyard, soil regeneration, harvest day or spontaneous fermentation; we are aware of every step of the process of making our sparkling wines, interfering only in what is essential to help nature, and not to hinder it.”

Jaume adds, “We consider that bottled wine is the final result of a careful and laborious process. We make sure to give our best at every stage of its preparation. However, once in the bottle, the evolution process continues. We know this doesn’t mean it’s finished, because like a person, wine keeps changing over time. It will go through different phases and have its ups and downs, but despite everything, it will always shine with vitality and complexity. As sparkling wine makers, we pride ourselves on having transported a landscape in a glass.”

Celler Casajou ‘Vinya la Caldereta’, 2020 La Vall del Riu Anoia ‘Sant Sadurní d’Anoia’ Brut-Nature ($39)
A limited release of just 5,100 bottles, Casajou’s Vinya la Caldereta originates in a four-acre vineyard located on a small south-facing hillside in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. Dominated by sandy-calcareous soils, it was planted in 1963 to Xarel·lo. This wine is 95% old vine Xarel·lo and 5% Macabeu. Following a manual harvest that began on August 21, 2020, the grapes were pressed and the ‘flower must’ alone was used, representing only 40% of the yield. ‘Flower must’ is a Cava regulation that refers to the first part of the grape pressing process; it is considered the highest quality must, since the Cava Designation of Origin limits the amount of must that can be obtained from each kilogram of grapes. For Laia and Jaume, the remaining must goes into the elaboration of Els Talls. In Caldereta, the two varieties co-ferment in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and undergo several hours of maceration with the skins. In the traditional method, the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle and rests on its lees until disgorgement. It shows bright orchard fruit complemented by floral undertones and hints of Mediterranean spice.

Celler Casajou ‘Vinya la Teixonera’, 2021 La Vall del Riu Anoia ‘Torrelavit’ Rosé Brut-Nature ($39)
La Teixonera vineyard is named after a small river near the town of Torrelavit, which itself is a portmanteau of Torre and Lavit—two nearby communes in Alt Penedès that joined forces. The vineyard was planted with Garnatxa Negra, and the current vines are ten years old. This wine, made from 100% Garnatxa Negra, is fragrant with notes of raspberries, earth, and a hint of brine. A total of 1,140 bottles were filled.

Celler Casajou ‘Els Talls’, 2021 La Vall del Riu Anoia Brut-Nature ($36)
Els Talls represents a co-fermentation of Xarel·lo (80%) from La Caldereta and Garnatxa Negra (20%) from La Teixonera following a year’s maturation. The clay soils of La Teixonera reflect fruit and depth while the calcareous soils of La Caldereta introduce the electric tension of Xarel·lo. Like the origin, the wine is a delightful blend of apple and citrus, A scant 1,320 bottles produced.

Reaching Back into the Past: Méthode Ancestrale (Pet-Nat)

Méthode Ancestrale is worthy of its name; it is the oldest known method of producing sparkling wine. It is also known as ‘rurale, gaillacoise, artisanale, pétillant naturel’ and in some appellations, ‘pétillant originel’, but in brief, it is a technique that involves bottling wine partway through its primary fermentation to trap carbon dioxide gas in the bottle, creating a gentle, bubbly carbonation.

It is similar to, but not identical to the Méthode Champenoise used in Champagne and, by law, for Cava. Ancestral method wines go through a single fermentation and are bottled before the fermentation process is completed, producing a wine with low alcohol gentle carbonation, and muted sweetness; they are generally unfiltered. Champenoise method wines go through a second fermentation in the bottle, which raises its alcohol content and creates its signature bubbles.

L’Enclòs de Peralba ‘Malvasia de Sitges’, 2022 Catalunya Penedès ‘Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues’ ($39) Pét-Nat
From young Malvasía de Sitges vines planted on clay soils in Cal Manuel, a two-acre parcel planted in 2014. This land is farmed by Josep Massana in Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues; the grapes are hand-harvested, direct pressed and fermented on natural yeast. As a Pét-Nat, it is bottled before fermentation is complete. The wine shows classic notes of toast and creamy yeast notes along with a fresh, pure and citrusy palate with lots of tension, bright acidity and small, well-integrated bubbles. 4,897 bottles produced.

Uvala ‘Ancestral – Xarel·lo’, 2023 Catalunya Escumòs Mètode Ancestral ‘Natural’ ($25) Pet-Nat
Gold in a bottle; from the pale yellow hue with gilded tones to the rich aromas that evolve and expand with golden nuances. The creamy notes behind the purity of white fruit result from native yeasts, while the unctuous mouthfeel and salty undertones stem from the terroir. 1,032 bottles produced.

Can Sumoi ‘Ancestral Montònega’, 2023 Catalunya Escumòs Mètode Ancestral Brut-Nature ($27) Pet-Nat
‘Montònega’ is a local name for Parellada, and this sparkling wine is made entirely from this native varietal. Hand harvested, destemmed and softly pressed in the winery, the fermentation process begins in stainless steel tanks and finishes in the bottle. Only indigenous yeast is employed; the must spends 14 days inert and 16 days in the bottle; no sugar is added and the wine is neither stabilized nor filtered. Natural SO2 is 13mg/l. Aged in bottle for 4 months before release and shows crisp, focused minerality with citrus, apple and herbal notes, especially rosemary.

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Posted on 2025.04.22 in Spain DO, Penedes, Wine-Aid Packages, Cava