Great cavas - WinePleasures.com2013/05/05 · 50 Great Cavas of 2012 leads you to more deeply...

50Great cavas

IntroductIon

IntroductIon

Meet the judges

hIstory of cava

MakIng of cava

cava grapes

Dear Cava lover!

It is my great pleasure to present you to the second edition of 50 Great Cavas book. This annual publication reflects the his-tory of cava, outlines how cava is made, clarifies the different cava styles, spot-lights successful regions and recognizes outstanding producers. In 2012, four expe-rienced wine tasters reviewed cavas from around Spain in blind tastings over 2 days. We looked at body, colour, clarity and bub-bles. We tasted for acidity, mouth-feel and mousse, finish, balance, sweetness and overall flavour. We searched deep for pri-mary and secondary aromas and bouquet.

Cavas were classified and tasted accord-ing to dosage and ageing time on the lees: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut (non vintage, reserva and gran reserva) and Rosado. After much debate, 50 of these earned a place in this publication.

While the average score is an impressive 87 points, almost half of the cavas scored more than 90 points which made them not just Great but outstanding! Average retail price per bottle is also an interesting figure – just 6 – 15 Euros which makes cava unbeatable in terms of price-quality.

But that’s not all! We have also compiled a one page article on most of the participat-ing wineries covering family history, win-ery philosophy, grape varieties, location

and wine tourism options. The majority of the wineries were visited by our wine blog-ging team to bring you an accurate and objective first hand review of each one. We hope you find them interesting and useful, particularly if you plan a wine tasting tour to one of the various cava regions around Spain.

There are many people to thank for their contribution in putting together this unique publication. I would like to men-tion our Tasting Manager (and cava lover!), Toms Šķēle who ensured that the blind tastings were undertaken in optimum conditions.

We hope that you enjoy this list of excit-ing values, emerging stars, cavas to visit and time-honored stalwarts and that our 50 Great Cavas of 2012 leads you to more deeply explore the world of cava both at home or when in Spain!

Anthony SwiftDirector 50 Great Cavas 2012

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Meet the Judges

Juan Manuel Gonzalvo

Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Juan is a qualified enol-ogist. Between 1996 and 2002, he has worked as a wine maker in the Spanish Designations of Origen of Somontano, Cariñena & Calatayud

Since then Juan Manuel has been a consultant helping many Spanish wineries with tasks such as blending, barrel choosing, quality control, ex-port… When he’s not at a winery he can be found leading wine tastings, giving courses and judging wine competitions. Today he is: Technical Director for Catavins Sabadell, Consultant and Buyer for Uvinum, Wine maker at Vinicom, Wine –making consultant for Castellroig & Mas de la Caçadora Juan Manuel is considered an expert in Spanish wine – tasting. He tastes and evaluates around 2,000 wines a year and shares his tasting notes extensively on the social media channels.

Meet the Judges

Helena Centerwall

A native of Sweden, Helena lived most of her adult life in California where she started the first Los Angeles based Wine Tour business, Grand Crus Wine Tours, specializing in Southern Cali-fornia’s wine regions such as Santa Barbara and the Central Coast. In addition she opened a wine school in Los Angeles and is a partner in a win-ery in Napa Valley, Sjoeblom Winery, producing sparkling wine.

In 2010 Helena moved to Penedés, the wine re-gion famous for its cava production, where she started up Ca Solyerik, a wine oriented Bed & Breakfast, and is teaching wine classes as well as wine trade English. She also writes a wine blog www.barcelona-wine.com

Anthony Swift

The General Manager and founder of Wine Pleas-ures; he is a blogger on wine, food and travel for online publications, a resident in the Cava – Penedès wine region for 15 years and is the mas-termind behind the 50 Great Cava project.

His favorite social drink is, of course, Cava Brut Na-ture Reserva!

Alise Zarina

A free-lance journalist since the age fifteen. In 2010 her first book was published and currently she is working on her screenplays. Author of a number of short films and director of several mu-sic videos, Alise is all about capturing unforget-table moments.

Originally from Latvia, she has spent three years in France, studying advertising and more recently attended a sound and image course at an art school in Portugal. Passionate about southern cul-ture, Mediterranean Cuisine, and of course, wine, Alise is now exploring Spain and discovering the world of Cava. Her preferred Cava is Brut Nature Reserva.

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hIstory of cava

Cava originsThe creation of Cava is closely tied to the history of the Catalan region. With Champagne taking off in France dur-ing the 19th century, viticulturists and winemakers from the Catalan region followed in the footsteps of their north-ern neighbors and produced a sparkling wine called Cava.

During the 1980´s, Cava became a protected name, like Champagne or Prosciutto di Parma. The name has a range of meanings, adopted from the Spanish word for cellar and it has links with Latin, describing a cave.

The 1870´sThe wine is now one of the most famous exports from Spain reaching all parts of the globe. During the 1870´s, in the height of the European phylloxera epidemic, the vines were destroyed and needed to be replanted. Intead

of using the traditional grapes varieties found in the Cham-pagne region, local families turned to their own indig-enous grapes. Thus, the distinct rich flavor was born and Cava began its journey as one of the most popular drinks around the world. Cava is unique in production; it can be made across Spain in 160 municipalities ranging from Valencia to Extremadura.

It is worth emphasizing that the majority of the produc-tion comes from the Catalan region, most notably from the area of Penedès. The first bottles were produced in 1872 in the village of Sant Sadurní dÁnoia. The wine is created using the metodo tradicional (traditional method) which requires a secondary fermentation in the bottle. A pioneer of this method was the great Josep Raventós i Fatjó of Cordoníu, who founded the famous Cordoniu company.

the MakIng of cava

The Creation of CavaCava is the Spanish word for cellar and has links back to the late 19th century within the Catalan region of Spain. Today the wine has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry that spans all corners of the globe. The wine is produced in 160 municipali-ties from across all over Spain, though the majority of production is made in the Penedes region of Barcelona. Cava is produced in the same style as Champagne, through the traditional method which is adopted throughout the world. Cava is made by a range of grapes, with the major varietals including;• Macabeo – Providing the acidity to the wine• Xarel-lo – Adding aromas and further acidity• Parellada – Offering suppleness and floraltones• Chardonnay - Produces high acidity and givesstructure and body to the wine• Pinot Noir – Provides aromatics and color

The Traditional MethodThe traditional method consists of a first fermentation (about three to five days) from the grapes, which are vinified separately to create a base wine or cuvée. Then the base wine is blended and the winemaker can input some of their unique presence into the wine. The blending process involves combining the different cuvées and a mixture of reserve wine (held back from previous years) to create a consistent style. At this stage, the wine can have a mixture of different grapes from different vineyards and poten-tially different vintages. After this, a second fermentation (lasting anywhere from one to two weeks) in the bottle holds the magic that creates the ´bubbles in the bottle’. In order to create the bub-bles, the winemaker adds a cocktail of sugar and yeast and seals the bottle so that fermentation can begin. To produce Cava, the bottles have to be laid to rest for at least nine months in a cool, dark cellar.

Today´s MarketToday, international interest in Cava is at an all time high, with the Cava Regulatory Board, or Consejo Regulador, re-porting over 244 million bottles produced during the 2010 vintage. Of these, over 149 million bottles are exported overseas and the rest are consumed domestically. Cava has grown dramatically in importance since 1872 and is now, according to the Chairman of the Board, Garcia Guil-lamet, “the D.O. Spanish wine with highest international sales”. All wines and bodegas belonging to the Cava name must report to the Consejo Regulador which conducts quality checks to verify that any wine labeled as Ćava´

meets the current laws. They also authorize the use of the terms Ćava’, ‘Reserva’ and ’Gran Reserva’ before reward-ing a numbered seal of approval which guarantees to the consumer the origin and quality of the wine. Wines that have met these strict standards embellish the base of their corks with a four pointed star as an additional guarantee to the consumer of high quality. Because of efforts like these, Cava is quickly becoming an internationally renowned quality sparkling wine.

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the MakIng of cava cava grapes

Xarel-loRound, white grape with strong skin. Semi-sweet on the vine, it has a natural acitity that lends fresh, fruit aromas of apples, grapefruits and lemons to the wine. It is one of the primary grapes in Cavas grown in the following Designatins of Origen: Alella, Penedès, Tarragona and Costers del Segre.

MacabeoThis is one of the most widely planted white grapes in the North of Spain. It is responsible for the floral notes in Cava wines, is resistant to oxidiation and has a low acidity. In addi-tion to being a primary varietal in Cava, it has also seen great success in Rioja and Southern France. Also spelled Macabeu in Catalan.

ParelladaThe least planted of the traditional Cava grapes, this varietal brings acidity and fresh fruit characteristics to the more prev-alent Macabeo and Xarel-lo. While it grows best in higher altitudes, yielding bright, crisp wines, Parellada produces a softer wine in valley floor vineyards.

ChardonnayThe most widely planted variety in the world and one of the most important grapes for sparkling wines, its inclusion into Spanish sparkling wines in the early 1980’s is still controver-sial since it is not one of the traditional three Cava grapes. It adds body and toasted, creamy notes to the wine, and also takes on characteristics of the oak, if used, during the aging process.

The Final StagesAt this point, the bottles are slowly riddled, the process of very slowly moving the bottles from a horizontal position to an angled position, allowing the dead yeast to move down to the neck of the bottle. Due to the high labor commitment it takes to riddle the bottles by hand, it is predominately undertaken by machines, though it is still carried out by hand in a few winer-ies. Following this is disgorgement, in which the dead yeast is removed from the wine by freezing the neck of the bottle in a saline solution and allowing the yeast to shoot out as a pellet. For Brut and Extra Brut, a cocktail of wine, spirit and sugar, commonly referred to as liqueur de expedition, is added back into the bottle, but for Brute Nature, no additional sugars or spirits are used. Each winemaker has their own recipe, with which they create a unique Cava to their own tastes. Labeling and dressing the bottles is the final process before the bottles are shipped and ready to be enjoyed by the consumer!

Pinot NoirProducing some of the finest wines in the world, but also very delicate and difficult to produce due to its thin skins, Pinot Noir provides Cava wine with great floral aromatics and color in Roses.

GarnachaGarnacha or Grenache, requires hot, dry conditions which makes it ideal for growing in Spain. It tends to lack acidity, tannin or color, so it is typically blended with other grapes to add body and a sweet fruitiness to Cavas.

Trepat A red wine varietal that is an indigenous grape to Spain. Most Trepat is grown in the Conca de Barberà DO. Has the potential for fine red wines, but is primarily used to add light, subtle characteristics and color to rosado Cavas.

Monastrell More commonly known as Mourvèdre, this tannic grape adds structure and color to Cavas.

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Vallformosa Brut Nature 2010Pale yellow with green hints. Medium and persistent bubble. Notes of lemon, green apples, pears and pineapple with an underlying bouquet of flowers. Fresh and smooth mouth feel. Short finish. Well balanced.

Points: 92/100 | Price €

Brut nature

This Cava has had no sugar added to the final wine. As such, Brut Natures tend to be a lot drier than their Brut coun-terparts. However, there is still a small amount of residual sugar in the bottle from the secondary fermentation, and legally speaking, it must be less than 3 grams per litre.

Retail price key:

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95-100 points 90-94 points 84-89 points

tastIng notes

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Brut nature reserva

Privat Brut Nature 2009Pale yellow. Primary aromas of pineapple and green apples blend in harmony with ripe fruit and floral notes. Fine and persistent bubble. Medium finish.

Points: 86/100 | Price €€

Cava Pere Mata Cupada Nº7 2009Light pale yellow with slow rising fine bubble Aromas include eucalyptus,

green bell pepper, apples and pears. Dry crisp finish.


Vía de la Plata Brut Nature Chardonnay 2010Fine bubble, citric fruits, dried nuts and hints of mint. Fresh and clean entrance. Smooth texture and creamy mouth feel. Great acidity. Medium finish.


Fuchs de Vidal Unic Brut Nature 2012Rich, creamy, smooth texture. Ripe fruits with hints of mint. Complex in the

mouth. Pale gold color with fine bead.

Points: 86/100 | Price €€€

Brut nature reserva

Rovellats Premier Brut Nature 2009Light color of yellow green with a fine bead of bubbles. Nose is reserved with

aromas of ripe fruit. Mousse is slightly aggressive with flavors of apples and toast. Clean and crisp finish.


Llopart Reserva Brut Nature 2099Light straw yellow with a fine and consistent bead. Citric and floral notes. Complex and well balanced.


Finca Valldosera Subirat Parent Brut Nature 2009Fine (slowly rising) bubble. Citric fruits such as pineapple, sweet lemon,

tangerine peel and floral notes abound. Complex, well balanced and buttery in the mouth.

Points: 93/100 | Price €€€€

Finca Valldosera Brut Nature 2008Sharp and fresh entrance. Frothy. Green apples with hints of dried fruits such as almonds and flowers.


These wines have been aged for a minimum of 15 months and no additional sugar was added to the Cava after the secondary fermentation. Dry, yet complex, creamy and mature on the palate.

Retail price key:

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Brut nature reserva

Blancher Reserva Nature 2008Pale yellow. Creamy smooth texture with aromas of orange peel, hazelnuts and citric. Crisp with a fine bubble. Medium finish.


Murviedro Expresión Solidarity Cuvée Chardonnay Brut Nature

Golden yellow. Dominant ripe banana on the nose, floral tones, figs and almonds. Frothy entrance and fine bubble. Well balanced. Medium to long

finish.


Celler Vell Brut Nature Reserva 2009Dominant secondary flavors of ripe fruits, jams, figs and bakery products. Volume and body in the mouth. Buttery texture. Chewy! Smooth mouth feel. Medium – long finish.

Points: 93/100 Price €€€

Cava Pere Mata Cupada Nº 6 2008Pale yellow. Notes of pastry, jams, citric fruits. Great acidity. Fresh clean

finish. Smooth bubble.


Brut nature reserva

Celler Vell ‘Les Solanes’ 2008Golden yellow color with large continuous bead of bubbles. Aromas of tropi-cal fruits and an overtone of vanilla and nutmeg. Very delicate mousse with mineral flavors which evolve into lightly toasted almonds, dates, honey and jam. Full bodied with a crisp finish.


Fuchs de Vidal Cuvée Especial Reserva 2009Straw yellow with fine bubble. Well balanced with great acidity and body. Aromas of ripe fruit, honey and jams. Smooth mousse and medium finish.


Mas Codina Cava Brut Nature 2008Pale green yellow in color with a vigorous bubble formation. Hints of rose petals, apricot jam, pastry and dried fruits on the nose. Sautéed pineapples with hints of spice on the palette. Great acidity and body. Medium to long finish.


Privat Laietà 2007Pale green yellow with pastry, ripe fruit, honey, apricot jam and green bell

pepper aromas. Fresh, acidic and a smooth silky texture and mouth feel. Fine bubble. Long finish.


Retail price key:

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Brut nature gran reserva

Rovellats Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2007Straw golden yellow. Rich buttery aromas, custard pie and almond blossom. Very fine bubble and silky smooth mouth-feel. Well-balanced. Great acidity.

Long finish. Complex one!


Huguet Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2007Golden yellow. Explosive bubble. Citric notes (lime) with almonds and baked apples. Acidic finish. Fresh and crisp with good body and structure.


Llopart Leopardi Brut Nature 2007Golden yellow. Fine bubble. Complex aromas, citric, ripe fruit, pastry and hints

of sherry. Very smooth mouth-feel. Complex flavors. Long fresh finish.


Fuchs de Vidal Gran Reserva Millésimé 2009Lively fine bubbles rise up the straw yellow liquid. Aromas of rich butter, figs, anis, and loquats. Pleasant mouth-feel. Flavors well integrated.


Gran Reserve denotes that the wine must be aged for a minimum of 30 months, unlike non vintage Cavas which have to be aged for 9 months or Reserve Cavas which must be aged for 15 months. It also contains no added sugar.

Brut nature gran reserva

Canals & Munné 1915 by C & M Golden yellow. Fine bubble. Dried fruits and notes of honeysuckle on the nose. Flavors of fresh lemon curd and citrus notes. Supple acidity which lifts the fruit. Elegant mousse and a delicate, refined length.


Cava Pere Mata Reserva Familia 2007Straw yellow. Fine bubble. Complex palate of freshly baked croissants (with lashings of

butter), biscuit, honey and minerality. Creamy smooth mouth-feel. Medium to long finish.


Gramona III Lustros 2005Bright straw yellow with green tones. Smoke and toasted notes. Ripe fruits (ba-nana), hazelnuts, and almonds merge into a butter aroma. Elegant smooth bubble. Creamy texture and mouth-feel with sensations of pastries, ripe white fruits and blancmange. Hints of brandy flavors.

Points: 93/100 |Price €€€€

Alta Alella Mirgin Blanc 2009Straw yellow with green tones. Fig and ripe fruits and flowers overlay citric notes.

Frothy. Well integrated with complex flavors such as nuts, ripe fruit, hops, custard and baked apple. Fine bubble. Long finish.

Points: 98/100 | Price €€€Retail price key:

€ - <9.99 €€ - 10-14.99 €€€ - 15-19.99 €€€€ - 20+

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extra Brut

Celler Vell Extra Brut Gran Reserva 2008A striking appearance of green and golden colors in the glass

supported by a fine bead of bubbles. Aromas of cooked apples with notes of almond, honey and toast. A delicate and supple balance of

sweetness and acidity. Notes of pineapple and patisserie flavors on the palette and a clean finish. Pleasant Mouth-feel


Rovellats Col.lecció Extra Brut 2007Fine bubble. Smooth delicate mouse. Notes of burned caramel, liquorish. Acidity and sweetness in perfect balance.


Extra Brut has a maximum of 6 grams per litre of sugar in the bottle, which provides a fuller mouth feel and creamier mousse, while at the same time allowing the acidity in the wine to shine through.

Brut

Albet i Noya Petit Albet Brut 2010Pale yellow in color and rich in flavor. Well balanced with a long

finish. Medium intensity on the nose. Pleasant mouth-feel. Short finish.


Bodega Sebirán Clos Dárcis Brut 2007Straw yellow. Frothy and pleasant mouth-feel. Fine bubble. Aromas of green apples and grapefruit combined with caramel and floral notes. Short finish. Well balanced acidity and sweetness.


Cava Papet del Mas Brut 2010Bright light yellow with fine well release of bubbles. Fresh and crisp entrance

with aromas of citrus fruit, vanilla and lychee. Short clean finish. Smooth mouth-feel.


The sugar level for a brut wine can vary between 3 -12 grams per litre. This added sweetness often provides a roundness for the wine to balance the acidity.

Retail price key:

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Brut reserva

Bodega Sebirán Cava Coto D’Arcís Especial Brut 2007Straw yellow. Fine and persistent bead. Expressive aromas of notes of honey, peach, honeysuckle and caramel. Creamy texture and smooth

mouth-feel. Medium finish.


Vallformosa Clasic Brut 2010Pale yellow with green reflections here ard there. Grapefruit, pears, white pepper, and herbs and pastry on the nose. Acidity and sweetness balances. Creamy texture. Bubble well integrated. Short to medium finish.

Points: 86/100 Price €

Vía de la Plata Brut Chardonnay Reserva 2010Complex on the nose - banana, anis, minty, fennel and underlying bakery

products. Acidiy and sweetness well-balanced. Pleasantly frothy. Medium finish.


Albet I Noya Brut Reserva 2009Pale gold. Notes of dried apricot, passion fruit and honey. Subtle balance between acidity and sweetness which makes it fresh and crisp. Medium finish. Fine bubble. Smooth mouth-feel.


Reserve denotes that the wine has been aged for a minimum for 15 months, un-like the non reserve Cavas which must only be aged for the standard 9 months.

Brut reserva

Cava Pere Mata Cupada Nº 5 2008Pale to gold yellow. Complex aromas: peach blossom, apple pie, cinnamon, jam and honey. Fine bubble and smooth mouth-feel. Medium to long finish with fresh and crisp taste.


Rovellats Imperial Brut 2008Delicious aromas of baked fruit (compote), jam, fruit tart, spice and wild straw-

berry. Straw yellow with golden hints. Well balanced. Pleasant mouth-feel and taste.


Vallformosa Col.lecció Brut Reserva 2009Watermelon, cucumber, candy and candy floss are just some of the aromas to discover in this cava. Pale gold colour. Well balanced acidity and sweetness. Creamy texture. Medium finish. Fine bubble.


Retail price key:

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Brut gran reserva

Duran Gran Reserva Brut 2007Slow rising bubbles bring aromas of roses, violets, sweet shop, ripe fruit and

melon (Cantaloupe). Straw yellow. Smooth and silky texture. Long creamy finish.


Huguet Gran Reserva Brut Classic 2007Very fine slow rising bubble. Amber, butter, violet, vanilla, crema catalana and ripe and dried fruits are all josling to reach your senses. Smooth mouth feel, round flavors, slightly bitter with a crisp finish.


The longest to age, the wine has to go through a minimum of 30 months of ag-ing before being deemed a Gran Reserveand allowed into the market.

Brut gran reserva

Celler Gramona Batlle 2002Deep dark golden color. Fine and centered bubbles. On nose intense aromas of pastries, honey, almonds and smoked aromas. Palate is spectacular, full bodied, carbonic very well integrated, entry palate is like a glove, mild flavors of apple and citrus. Simply excellence and with a few years ahead.


Gramona Imperial 2007A bright fresh nose of ripe green apples and granite; on the palate a slight

toastiness warms the mouth while the same luscious apple tart filling lingers. Balanced out with just enough citrus acidity, this wine hits all the tongues pleasure

centers.


Retail price key:

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cava rosado

Canals & Munné Rose Pinot Noir Brut 2010Loads of red fruits jump out: wild strawberry, purple cherry, raspberry with

hints of grapefruit and orange. Fruity mouth feel. Acidity and sweetness well balanced. Cherry-berry color


Llopart Reserva Rosé Microcosmos Brut Nature 2008Marvelous pink – salmon color. Wild fruits of the forest combined with hints of mango. Fresh and fruity mouth-feel. Fine bubble. Well structured. Long creamy finish.


Vallformosa Brut Rosado 2010Pale salmon color. Fresh and fruity. Gooseberry, peach skin, almond, quince

and wild red forest fruits on the nose. Smooth bubble. Fruity and fresh finish. Elegant and stylish.


Rosé gains its color by macerating the wine with the grape skins for a brief pe-riod during the first fermentation.

cava rosado

Albet i Noya Cava Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 2010Lively and abundant fine bubbles rise up the bright cherry - berry colored liquid. Fresh and intense. On the palate a smooth mouth-feel thanks to a well integrated acidity and sweetness. Medium finish with pleasant fruity sensation.


Cava Dominio de la Vega Brut Pinot Noir 2009 Pale cherry color. Fine release of bubbles. Red fruits particularly wild

strawberry aromas with hints of walking into a cake shop. Subtle sweetness. Crisp medium finish.


Cava Papet del Mas Brut Rosé 2007Beautiful pink salmon color. Fine and persistent bubble. Explosion of aromas on the nose including almond blossom, bakewell tart, raspberry, red currant and jam tarts. Creamy texture. Pleasant mouth-feel. Well balanced. Short finish.


Retail price key:

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cava rosado

Blancher Rosé Brut 2010Cherry-berry color. Fine and persistent bubble. Red fruits such as strawberry and raspberry on the nose, Hints of white pepper. Fresh and crisp entrance. Pleasant mouth-feel and mousse.


Mas Codina Cava Brut Rosé Reserva 2009Beautiful salmon color. Fine bubble and extremely smooth and silky mouth-feel. Acidity and sweetness well balanced. Tangerine, orange and almond blossom greet the nose. Creamy palate Fruity medium

finish.


Vallformosa Col.lecció Brut Pinot Noir 2010Light cherry color. Fine and persistent bead. Acidity and sweetness well comple-mented. Creamy texture. Strawberry, mandarin and quince on the nose. Fruity medium finish.


Retail price key:

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WInerIes

The Albet i Noya family are the pioneers of organic win-emaking in the Penedes region, their first organic wine dating back to 1978. Currently producing 26 different varieties of wine and Cavas with a total output of more than a million bottles per year, the winery continues to grow by regularly introducing new ecological products to wine lovers worldwide. For example, this September the first Albet i Noya sulfite-free Cava will enter the market. This innovative winery is devoted to its experimental and research work, especially to the recovery of lost varieties of grapes, found in abandoned vineyards or in the wild.

Albet I Noya try to manipulate the product as little as possible in the later stages of production, instead con-centrating on the field, growth and the raw materials. For example, the harvest of the Cava grapes starts later than elsewhere to avoid the acidity and acquire fresh and fruity flavors in the taste.

The vineyards stretch from 250 to 400 meters above sea level, therefore depending on the grape variety the per-fect climate conditions can be adjusted. The winery has changed its owners many times through the centuries and each has left his own touch in the architecture or de-sign, probably the most interesting being the fingerprints of architect Josep Maria Pericas i Morros - a student and a friend of Gaudi.

alBet I noya

08739 Sant Pau D’OrdalBarcelona

Tel.: +34938994812

www.albetinoya.cat

This September the first Albet i Noya sulfite-free Cava will enter the market.

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Alta Alella is a family-run winery with the most magnificent views. Its location just above the Mediterranean Sea and within the beautiful Serralada de Marina Natural Park perfect-ly fits Alta Allella’s green mentality as this winery produces only organic wines and is also the creator of the first sulfite-free Cava in the world.

Six of 11 Alta Alella’s Cavas are filled in distinctive, elongated bottles to emphasize their unique identity. The shape was originally associated with the Alella region and this is an at-tempt to renew that distinction. Most famous for its Cavas, this winery is also proud to provide wine for some of world’s top class restaurants. With their first bottles dating back only to 2001, Alta Alella has turned out to be quite a success, due to the fresh Mediterranean climate, spirit of innovation and the ecological approach.

The founder Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets with his wife lives in a stylish art-deco house, overlooking the vineyards and the cellars. In addition, a brand new visitor facility has recently been built to welcome clients and tourists. The winery’s location in Serralada de Marina, comes with the responsibility to respect the environment, therefore, it’s not uncommon to encounter a rabbit or even a wild boar among the vines, however, situated only about twenty kilometers from Barcelona, it is a perfect wine tourism destination.

alta alella

Location just above the Mediterranean Sea and within the beautiful Serralada de Marina Natural Park perfectly fits

Alta Alella’s green mentality.

Blancher

Antoni Capdevila Pujol moved to the world’s cava capital, Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, to pursue his dream of producing the best cava possible. In 1955 he opened Blancher - a winery named af-ter his beloved wife. Today Cava Blancher produces exclusively Reserva and Gran Reserva and does it with strictly traditional methods, including riddling the bottles by hand.

The winemakers of Blancher have adopted the philosophy of the founder, their grand-father, that each grape must be carefully controlled thoroughout the process - from the ripening till the bottling. Blancher describe themselves as traditionalists as they blend new technology with traditional cava making techniques. A visit to the winery will verify this.

Blancher offers a nice escape for both, tourists and locals: besides the visit, wine tasting and the museum, visitors can enjoy the bar-becue facilities. The idea is to bring along your own selection of meats to grill together with salads etc, the rest is taken care of. Old vines serve as the kindling wood; you cook on the spot and enjoy

the food together with Blancher’s exquisite Cavas. The experience costs around sixteen euros per table, as well as a requirement to purchase at least six bottles of cava. The unconventional winery with barbecue in the backyard has attracted regular clientele, including many well-known Spaniards

You cook on the spot and enjoy the food together with Blancher’s exquisite Cavas.

08328 Alella

Tel:(+34) 93 469 37 20

www.altaalella.cat

08770 Sant Sadurní d’AnoiaBarcelona

Tel.: (0034) 938 183 286

www.blancher.es

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can feIxes

Seen from afar, Can Feixes winery resembles a fairytale house as it emerges from the pine forests, woodlands and surrounding vineyards. The fact that it is run by three brothers reinforces the impression. The Huguet family took over the estate in 1985 and re-modeled the vineyards to ensure the best growing conditions for each grape variety, enhancing further the fertile fields with mod-ern agricultural methods. Though the winery owns vast vineyards spanning 80 hectares, their output remains rather low (240,000 bottles total and only 8,000 bottles of cava per year), due to an exceedingly scrupulous selection process, ensuring that only the very best grapes of each variety are used. The high end wines are only produced on selected years, when the required variety of grapes and their traits are at their peak. Both Huguet cavas (Brut and Brut Nature) are exclusively Gran Reservas, While most cava producers use the traditional blend, of which Xarel-lo is an irre-placeable component, the Huguets have chosen to use Parellada, Macabeo, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, creating an appreci-ably distinct cava.

The Huguets have a knack for merging the past and present - in the stables several motorcycles are resting between old carts and ploughs. In the beautiful, well-preserved chapel of Santa Eulalia masses are still held on special occasions. The old barn has been turned into a cosy barbacue corner and in the old, unused cellar, an exhibition reveals the rich and long history of wine making, while the young wines slowly age in the modern facilities nearby, perhaps preparing to make history.

While most cava producers use the traditional blend, the Huguets have chosen to use Parel-lada, Macabeo, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, creating an appreciably distinct cava.

08718 Cabrera d’Anoia

Tel.: (+34) 937 718 227

www.canfeixes.com

canals & Munné

Great winemakers in the fifth generation, Canals&Munné have surely withstood the test of time. Merging tradition with moder-nity, the winery is proud of its outstanding Cavas and wines – with gold medals from all around the world as proof.

The main building of the Canals &Munné is the modern “New Cava”, just outside the town of Sant Sadurni. The grapes are cul-tivated in another location, higher up in Font Rubi, Alt Penedes and are transported down to the winery, where the production can begin. The whole process lasts up to five years. Some of the Cavas are filled in special cone-shaped bottles to assure better fermentation, which also works as an attractive design element. Recently Canals & Munné has developed its first organic Cava “Dionysus”, as well as its first white bio wine and they hope to create more 100% natural products in the future.

08770 Sant Sadurní d´AnoiaBarcelona

Tel. +34.938913327

www.canalsimunne.com

Canals & Munné is still keeping its “Old Cava” located inside the town. - after almost a hundred years of producing wine, the atmospheric old cellar has been turned into a restaurant, a tast-ing facility and an ideal destination for all wine and Cava lovers.

Currently offering limited production of eight excellent Cava varieties, Canals & Munné enjoys its reputation of being one of the best producers of cava in the region.

Some of the Cavas are filled in special cone-shaped bottles to assure better fer-mentation, which also works as an attrac-tive design element.

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capItà vIdal

The small winery was founded by one of the best known Spanish sailors - Enrique Vidal, hence the name Capità (Captain) Vidal. After decades of producing qual-ity wine, captain, now in his seven-ties, has retired

to dedicate his days to sailing again, and family member, Helena runs the business today. Capità Vidal treats its products with genuine care and attention: the grapes are hand-picked and all the Cava bottles are still hand-riddled. There are six wines on the market, but the main focus (and best-seller) of Capità Vidal are their Cavas, known by the name of Fuchs de Vidal. Lately there has been a growth in exports, and Fuchs de Vidal is becoming more and more popular abroad, especially in Belgium, Nether-lands and Japan, however, the majority of the production stays in Spain. The clients of the winery tend to remain loyal through the years. One of them, Julio Salinas, a retired Barcelona FC player and a Cava lover, even suggested the creation of his own label and Capità Vidal brought into the market a limited edition of Cava with a picture of the famous footballer on each bottle .

08733 El Pla del PenedèsBarcelona

Tel. +34.938988.630

www.capitavidal.com

The winery itself, enclosed/surrounded by vineyards, is located in the Alt Penedes about 200 meters above the sea level. Inside, the two passions of Enrique Vidal - wine and sea - are exposed to the visitor through pictures, portraits and small design elements. Producing around 150,00 bottles a year produced and only six full time employees, Capità Vidal is all about quality over quantity, opting for a superior product at the cost of reduced and limited production.

There are six wines on the market, but the main focus (and best-seller) of

Capità Vidal are their Cavas.

celler vell

Family is at the heart of Celler Vell. Founded in 1954 by Pere Estruch Casanovas and now operated by his son Josep Rovira. With only two hectares of vines, the bodega buys base wine from a local cooperative and creates Cava through the tradi-tional method. Located in the heart of Penedes at the home of Cava, in Sant Sadurní D´Anoia, the winery sits proud on top of a hill overlooking the town. Cellar Vell believes in using the tra-ditional varieties for their Cava but have incorporated Pinot Noir and Grenache into the rosé, providing a rounder, more complex wine than most. With the focus solely on the winemaking, the cellar offers a unique service of personalized labels for consum-ers. Production is currently at 80,000 bottles per year, but the bodega has plans to expand the winery and build a hospitality hall for customers.

With the focus solely on the winemaking, the cellar offers a uniqueservice of personalized labels for consumers.

The cellar offers a range of eight wines, with the focus on Brut and Brut Nature. The majority of wines use the traditional grape varieties with a hint of Chardonnay to provide the Cavas with a heavier mouth feel. Celler Vell produces a range of young Cavas, aged for nine months and gran reserves, which are aged for a minimum of thirty months. Celler Vell also produces a semi-sec Cava for a sweeter taste. All the wines are disgorged by hand to maintain the authentic artisan approach.

08770 Sant Sadurní d´AnoiaBarcelona

Tel. +34.938910290

www.cellervell.com

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doMInIo de la vega

Dominio de la Vega is located in the heart of the Utiel - Requena region. It has a predominant Mediterranean climate, although with continen-tal characteristics due to its altitude and distance from the sea. The region has a long history of wine making, but this winery is relatively young- it was founded in 2001. The bodega’s great success story lies within their range of cavas, which con-stantly receive good press reviews and high tast-ing scores. For white cava Dominio de la Vega use Macabeo grapes as the basis, complimented with some Chardonnay. The Rosés get their deep bright strawberry tonality from Garnacha and Pinot Noir grapes. For both only the first pressed juice or the flower must is used.

The house is a beautiful 19th century Valencian building, surround-ed by vineyards. It was chosen to avoid lengthy transportation of

grapes and because of the favorable climate and appar-ently these two factors were the ground stones for a crea-tion of one of the finest wine and cava selections in the region.

An interesting aspect of Dominio de la Vega is their invest-ment in all kinds of social work and charity. In the past they’ve supported organizations fighting such diseases as cancer or the Asperger syndrome, as well as sponsored foundations helping the handicapped. and many others.

46390 San AntonioValencia

Tel. ( +34) 962320570

www.dominiodelavega.com

An interesting aspect of Dominio de la Vega is their investment in all kinds of so-cial work and charity.

graMona

Gramona is excellence in a bottle and excellence that has been patiently nurtured, crafted and is under constant innovation. It is these qualities that have made Gramona Cavas stand out not only on a national level but also globally. The philosophy at this Bodega is to make com-plex, aged Cavas in contrast to young, fruity Cavas. The first bottle of Gramona was produced in 1921. It is a family business, currently in the hands of the 3rd gen-eration of Gramonas. In addition to the Bodegas unique philosophy they also believe in experimentation. This is shown through their portfolio of twenty-five wines, rang-ing from their nine Cavas to their still and distilled wines.

The underground cave, ‘Cellar Battle’ was constructed in 1881 and since then has been added on to, to make up the cool, dark, three-story cave, home to Gramona’s fin-est elixirs. Gramona´s priority for excellence goes further than just their aging techniques but also through their use of 3-disc corks, the solera dosage system and their precise hands-on approach for riddling and labeling their premium cuvées.

Gramona´s priority for excellence goes further than just their aging techniques but also through their use of 3-disc corks, the solera dosage system and their pre-cise hands-on approach for riddling and labeling their premium cuvées.

C/ Industria, 36 08770 Sant Sadurníd’Anoia

Tel. +34 93 891 01 13

www.gramona.com

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llopart

According to an old document in Latin, an ancestor of the Llo-part family, Bernandus Leopardi, was granted some vineyards in 1385 and the family has been in the wine business ever since. The Llopart Cava brand is also the oldest in the region, this year celebrating its 125 anniversary. Through these years the label of the Cava brand has changed little - first a lithograph, now an illustration depicting the panoramic view of the winery and its surroundings. The view is even more impressive in real life: 90ha of vineyards planted on ascending/descending terraces, situated up to 350 meters above sea level, 300 ha of forests and the beautiful silhouette of Montserrat in the distance. A great number of fossils have been found in the soil, some of which are exhibited in the winery, and a white wine has been named Clos Dels Fossils to emphasize the exceptional land it comes from.

Only the first juice extracted from the grapes (first 1550L of every 3000 kg of grapes), known as “the tear must” and the flower must is used to make Llopart Cavas. Definitely a winery of tradition, Llopart also pay much attention to details: the bottles are riddled manually and all the grapes are picked by hand. The old cellar under the family house is still open to visitors, as well as the stylish exposition at the winery, both displaying the history of centuries of winemaking. Lamps made out of Cava bottles and even a small fountain with water splashing out of a Cava bottle are just some of the elements that shows the kind of passion and respect Llopart treats their sparkling wine with.

Lamps are made out of Cava bottles and there is even a small fountain with water splashing out of a Cava bottle.

08770 Sant Sadurní d’AnoiaBarcelona

Tel.: (+34) 93 899 31 25

www.llopart.es

Mas codIna

Mas Codina is a small, yet absolutely adorable winery, run by a young family. The vines have been grown in the estate since the 17th century, but it was relatively recently, only in 1985, that the owner Antonio Garriga Carbó started to bottle his own wine. Half of the production still goes to other manufacturers, but the dream is to keep all the grapes exclusively for their own wines.

Mas Codina exports half of its products abroad for 18 years now and have noticed the increasing number of cava lovers outside Spain, especially in Germany and Belgium. Cavas being their main specialty, production remains purposely limited – 70,000 bottles per year. A recent addition to their three Cavas (Brut Reserva, Brut Nature Reserva and Brut Nature Gran Reserva) is a brand new Brut Rosé Reserva. The grapes for these Cavas come from vineyards more than 30 years old, selected by two generations of experienced enologists.

The grape is in the absolute center of attention in Mas Codina and they work hard to achieve the richness of flavor and aromas, as well as the ideal size of the berries (the smaller the size, the more concentrated the flavor), so when harvest comes, they can handpick the best of the best.

Apart from vines, there are some olive trees, but the oil is mostly kept for the family. However the small amount they put up for sale, clients buy out immediately, knowing very well the utmost care and love the plants have received at Mas Codina.

Mas Codina exports half of its products abroad for 18 years now and have noticed the increasing number of cava lovers outside Spain.

El Gorner, 08797Puigdálber

Tel.: (+34) 93 898 81 66

www.mascodina.com

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MurvIedro

Murviedro gets its name from the ancient walls that surround the old town. It is said that they bear witness to an ancient spirit which wanders through the caves and cellars of the winery and watches over their wines as they age and evolve. Founded in 1927 as the Spanish branch of the Swiss Schenk Group, one of the leading European companies in the wine industry, Murviedro is part of Arnold Schenk´s vision to create a European wine con-glomeration. The company’s philosophy, and one that is stead-fastly embraced at Murviedro, is based on combining modern winemaking techniques with grapes from traditional vineyards. Visitors can see this in their new winery which was built in 1997, but has already undergone several additions to their bottling line, barrel and bottle storage, Bag-in- Box production and even an environmentally - friendly system to recycle residual water.

Bodegas Murviedro, is one of the most important wineries in the Valencia region.

Bodegas Murviedro, is one of the most important wineries in the Valencia region and is working on creating a single brand with several products that specifically highlight the three other Denominación de Origines (DOs) in which Murviedro is present: Utiel-Requena, Alicante and Cava. Currently Murviedro makes just three Cavas: a 100% Macabeo, a recently released rosé of Garnacha, and their very limited production Expresión Solidarity Cuvée: a 100% Chardonnay made from only the best grapes of every harvest and aged for a minimum of 15 months. If bubbles aren’t on the menu, then there are plenty of still and dessert wines to choose from at Murviedro. They currently bottle 15 different brands, each with its own profile and style.

46340 RequenaValencia

Tel.: (+34) 96 232 90 03

www.murviedro.es

rovellats

Josep Vallès Rovira, the founder of Rovellats, started making Cava in the 1920’s, back then still called “champagne”, to serve in his own restaurant in Barcelona. Soon enough his sparkling wine became famous in the whole region and still remains today. The original advertisement posters, featuring beautiful pin-ups, holding up their glasses and other reminders of the past glory can be found in the Rovellats museum collec-tion. The scenic Art Noveau gardens, surrounding the winery, also date back to the beginning of the last century. The winery itself, however, has been there ages before Rovellats started making wines and some of the architecture has been preserved from as long ago as the 10th century.

The aura of the past is all around in Rovellats, whether you find yourself admiring the Virgin of Montserrat replica in the first chapel ever built in Sant Martí Sarroca, discovering the an-tique devices Rovellats used to produce their first Cava or wan-dering through the old farmhouse, to which the winery owes its name. But it’s not only history that makes Rovellats unique: their cellar is shaped in a form of six pointed star, the only one of this kind in the world. With eight Cavas and three vintage wines (representing all three colors), this is another winery focusing on producing great quality Cava, a tradition carried on by the third genera-tion of Rovellats winemakers. Half of the vines are 30-60 years old, all the grapes are hand-picked and all the Cavas are aged for at least two years and anything up to six.

The cellar is shaped in a form of six pointed star, the only one of this kind in the world.

08731 Sant Martí Sarroca

Tel.: (+34) 934 880 063

www.rovellats.com

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fInca valldosera

Founded in 1980 by Enric Valldosera, Finca Valldosera contin-ues to pride itself in producing wines and cavas from the Massis del Garraf, a territory in Catolonia in the northeastern part of Spain, south of Barcelona and next to the Mediterranean Sea. The estate includes 220 hectares, 60 of which are devoted to vineyards and the rest to Mediterranean woods. Finca Valldo-sera’s entire production comes exclusively from this property.

The climate and traits of the Massis del Garraf allow Finca Vall-dosera to offer distinguished wines and cavas that represent the landscape and local area. The surrounding Mediterranean woods help to maintain the integrity of the land and also provide unique aromas that become infused into the wines and cavas. Their philosophy is to be as respectful as possible with the vineyards in terms of vinegrowing, techniques, treatment, etc.

The entire elaboration process is controlled by Finca Vall-dosera, assuring maximum care in every step. Jordi Valls, the winemaker, takes special care in pre-selecting grapes in the vineyards in order to make quality wine and cava. The production and bottling facilities, in addition to the cellars, are located in a partially converted 15th century family home on the property. The home also plays host to wine tastings and other events.

08374 OlerdolaBarcelona

Tel.: (+34) 938 143 047

www.fincavalldosera.com

The climate and traits of the Massis del Garraf allow Finca Valldosera to offer distinguished wines and cavas that represent the landscape

and local area.

vallforMosa

Vallformosa has maintained the passion of its forefathers by con-tinuing to perfect the wine making process since its founding in 1865 by the Domenech family. The winery, first established in Vilobí del Penedès, has only seen family owners throughout five different generations. Each generation has added to the progres-sion and success of the company, from the first and second gen-eration farmers to the third generation that introduced bottling to the fourth generation that developed the cava method after the Civil War. In 1940, the family introduced cava into their portfolio based on the French method. But, they used local grape varieties in order to provide a unique, local taste to the cava and they also perfected the resting time.

Today, the fifth generation of the Domenech family owns and maintains the central location in the Penedès region, close to Barcelona and its surrounding vineyards. The Penedès vineyards are found between the Mediterranean Sea and the Catalan pre-coastal mountain range where traditional white varieties are produced: Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macebeo as well as red ones: Tempranillo, Garancha, Samsó and Monastrell. Vallformosa has also introduced new varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. In total, Vallformosa vineyards encompass 397 hectares of land and are located at different wineries in Spain, producing wine and cava under four Spanish Designations of Origin: Penedès, Cava, Cataluña and Rioja, as well as its Argentinean wines.With such large areas for production, Vallformosa has estab-lished itself internationally and has gained global renown with over 60 percent of its production exported to more than 40 countries throughout the world including Europe, America and Asia.

08735 Vilobí del PenedèsBarcelona

Tel.: (+34) 93 897 82 86

www.vallformosa.es

Vallformosa vineyards encompass 397 hectares of land and are located at different wineries in Spain.

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Bodegas vía de la plata

Bodegas Vía de La Plata owes its name to an ancient Roman road (translated as the “Silver Route”), still used by modern freeways which pass by the winery. The principal cava produc-ers in the region, Bodegas Via de La Plata was also the first one to elaborate the first bottle of cava from Extremadura. The region lacks tradition of artisanal cava making, therefore the winery, founded in 1985, might have been seen to be an un-likely place for the creation of a great cava, however, during the years it has gained appreciation not only in Extremadura, but also in the whole country and even beyond the borders, lately becoming popular in China. Bodegas Via de La Plata use more or less the traditional coupage for four out of their seven cavas, but the rest are made from Chardonnay grapes ( Brut Nature, Brut Nature Reserva & Brut).

Apart from the visit to the winery, wine tourists are also offered a tour of Tierra de Barros wine route (representing the typical wines of the region), group visits to the Wine Museum or even wine tasting classes. For those at home an online store on the webpage, displaying all the products (and selling them in boxes of six) can come in handy. Honesty, respect of the environment and a reasonable price is the promise that comes with each bot-tle of wine from Bodegas Vía de la Plata.

Via de La Plata was the first one to elaborate the first bottle of cava from Extremadura.

06200 Almendralejo

Tel.: (+34) 924 66 11 55

www.bodegasviadelaplata.es

Bodega seBIrán

Since the beginning of the 20th century vines have been planted in Campo Arcís, Valencia, where Bodega Sebirán sits today, but it wasn’t until 1914 that parts of the current building were first constructed. The winery was expanded in 1974, and then again in 1994 when the Ribes family and three very close friends, all inti-mately involved in the world of wine, purchased the winery. Since then, the winemaking team has committed themselves to mak-ing high quality still and sparkling wines from their four vineyards to the North and South of Requena. The winemaking process at Sebirán honors the traditional methods, while at the same time utilizing innovative technologies such as temperature control sys-tems, load movement facilities, a heat stress index in the cellar, and a new bottling line system.

Bodega Sebirán makes three Cavas, a Brut, Brut Especial and a Brut Nature and each of them are dominated by the traditional Cava grape, Macabeo. They are aged 9 -22 months, but what re-ally sets their Cavas apart is how perfectly in tune they are with Spanish cuisine. Paella, fish, vegetables, cheese and dried fruits all pair heavenly with any of their three sparkling wines. Their still line includes nine red wines and one 100% Macabeo wine. The limited production Crianza and Reserva reds top their still-wine portfolio, and undergo a lengthy ageing process in both French and American oaks.

46352 Campo ArcísValencia

Tel.: (+34) 96 230 13 26

www.bodegasebiran.com

The winemaking process at Sebirán honors the traditional methods, while at the same

time utilizing innovative technologies.

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Photography by Toms Skele and Alise Zarina.

Additional photography provided by Dominio de La Vega, Cannals Cannals, Gramona, Bodega Sebirán and Murviedro.

Text by Alise Zarina, Hannah Berle and Anthony Swift.

Design by Toms Skele.

© 2012 Wine Pleasures.

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Note.

Pere Mata - www.matacoloma.comPapet del Mas - www.papetdelmas.com

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