Magazine Mar/Apr 2018

WINE RANT

WHEN IN SPAIN

By Alvin Gho, Wine Specialist

Spain – the land of matadors, la fiestas, and heavenly paella. Perhaps a surprising fact to some, it is also one of the world’s largest producers of wine, that includes the iconic (and cheap) Riojas and the palate-neutral Galician Albarinos. Barcelona is a coastal city where art, culture and football prevail. Unbeknownst to many, there are several important regions surrounding it. I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Barcelona and the wine regions west of it, seeking inspiration. Penedes Sparkling wines made like champagne are called Cava in Spain. Cavas are fantastic as they are superb quality wines, but often come at a much lower price than their champagne counterparts. While Cavas can be produced anywhere in Spain, Penedes (an approximately 45-min drive from Barcelona) takes the undisputed title as the Cava Specialists. Castell d'Age is owned by the Junyent family. Three generations of ladies running this winery to its present day success; it is small in size and production quantity, yet high in taste and quality. I met with General Manager Olivia who showed me around the fairly-new winery and inducted me to the business. Unfortunately, the winter prevented me from glimpsing the full bunches of grapes. Another Cava producer that I didn’t get a chance to visit is Gramona . Xavier Gramona now helms the family- owned winery that produces one of the highest quality and most expensive Cavas available. Gramona practices Biodynamic farming with a focus on sustainability. Also worth mentioning – I had the opportunity to tour Bodegas Torres and lunch with Miguel Torres, President of Torres, who showed me around his multi-million dollar winery and tasting room. Top international quality wines are produced here, with a focus on still wines rather than Cavas.

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THE AMERICAN CLUB MAR / APR 2018