Fashions in wine are no different from fashions in the rest of the world; what is old becomes new, and what is new becomes old. Yet due to the elongated history of wine, its connection to cultures and human endeavour, it isn’t just a style of wine that’s often revived from the distant past; it’s[…]
Reputation is important in the world of wine and a bad one, whether deserved or not, can take a while to shake off. Ask a wine lover about Carignan and you’re likely to get a very mixed reaction, despite the enormous quality potential of the grape. A Spanish grape in its heart, Carignan is far[…]
Xareŀlo, like so many indigenous Spanish grapes, often flies beneath the radar of the international fine wine world. Native to Catalonia, Xareŀlo is probably best known for its role in Cava production, providing much of the refreshing acidity and crisp, green fruited and subtle herbal flavours to the base wines. However, for those in the[…]
Delicacy and lightness of touch are rarely descriptors that come to the fore when Spain is discussed in the world of wine. The generally low levels of rainfall, hot summers and warm Autumns often make for concentrated, bold, spicy wines and this has come to characterise the international perception of Spanish reds in particular. Yet[…]
Garnatxa Blanca is one of the great, unsung heroes of Catalan wine. Whilst the locals here in Catalunya are all too familiar with the lively acidity, creamy texture and orchard fruit of ripe Garnacha Blanca, it’s a style that doesn’t seem to have made much of a splash internationally despite the obvious quality available. Garnatxa[…]
Considering Catalunya’s storied, fascinating history dating back to the times of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, it perhaps comes as no surprise to discover that they also have a long history of making wines. Yet the oldest, most traditional wines of Catalunya are also its least known; the sweet, fortified and rancio wines that[…]
Since Josep Raventós first convinced his friends to invest in an adventurous replanting and rebuilding project in the 19th century, Catalonia has been the Spanish home of sparkling wine. With the vineyards of the Penedes devasted by phylloxera, Josep saw an opportunity to replant the higher ground with grapes better suited for sparkling wine production,[…]
