From: Penedes, Spain
Blend: Pansa Blanca (Xarel·lo), Macabeu, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Critical Acclaim: "This wine is medium yellow colored with a gentle smattering of petite bubbles. It has a nose of peach, green apple and honeysuckle. It is bright in the mouth with flavors of Bartlett pear, nectarine, buttered toast and a coffee bean finish."–Mike DeSimone, Wine Enthusiast, 90 points
Taste: Aromas of lemon and apricot merge with honeysuckle, dried honey, and almond notes. Fine, persistent bubbles greet you on the palate, which shows hints of pear, fresh apple, marzipan, and brioche alongside a marked salinity. A well-structured, fresh Cava with a long and satisfying briny finish.
Pairing: Alta Alella’s 2018 Laietà Gran Reserva Cava Brut Nature, goes beautifully with classic Cava pairings including, paella, zarzuela (seafood stew), and tapas (think almonds, olives, jamòn, and cheese). The wine’s drive and precision will also allow it cut perfectly through richer creamy or fried foods. Specifically, it has us craving Daniel Gritzer’s Serious Eats recipe for Tortilla Española (Spanish Egg and Potato Omelette).
About. Alta Alella is a family-run project which started more than twenty years ago by the enologist Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets and his wife Cristina Guillen. Alta Alella is the closest winery to Barcelona (10 km), and it’s located within the agricultural area of a natural park known as the “Serralada de Marina’. The estate is just two kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, and the vineyards are planted on slopes and terraces between 100 and 300 meters above sea level.
Alta Alella farms 60 ha within the D.O. Alella (the smallest D.O. in Spain) and the D.O. Cava. The winery works with micro-vinifications, numerous grape varieties, and innovative techniques, producing up to 50 different cuvées yearly. The vines are grown on Sauló soil, one of the most important elements that determine the characteristics of wines from Alta Alella: an acidic white granite-based sand with low limestone content, low organic matter, and good drainage.
Philosophy. Fleeing from standardization, year after year, Josep Maria's aim is to produce ‘transparent’ wines that reflect soil and vintage characteristics. The harvest is carried out by hand, paying individual attention to each plant.
This 2018 Laietà Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature is named for the Laietans, an ancient Iberian (Pre-Roman) people that inhabited the northern part of Barcelona. It has a singular bottle to emphasize what differentiates it from Alta Alella's other Cavas: the international varietals incorporated into the organic blend of Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. The extraction of the first pressing is conducted through very light pressure to avoid the transfer of the color from the Pinot Noir grape. Each varietal is fermented separately in temperature-controlled vats. This cava is made through the traditional method and ages on its lees for at least 30 months prior to disgorgement (the disgorgement date appears on every bottle).
