No one can say that the Penedès Denominació D’Origen lacks profile. It has long been revered as one of Spain’s most celebrated and prolific wine-producing regions after Rioja. It’s also Cava country, making a traditional method sparkling wine that enthusiasts would argue that, in the finest iterations, easily compares with champagne.
But one senses that the Catalonian appellation, an hour south of Barcelona, now has different ambitions. It wants to be home to the most modern and innovative of Spanish wine producers and is busy rebuilding its identity on characterful indigenous varietals.
The celebration of Penedès wines gets underway, Carousel, London
That is the implicit message from the dinner hosted by the Penedès DO at Carousel in London’s Fitzrovia. Carousel is a modern, stylish and classy restaurant – just like the 16 wines we are about to taste.
Most of the wines on offer are still whites. But on arrival to Carousel our host, Sarah Jane Evans MW, points us in the direction of two of the sparklers, including the El Corral Cremat Brut 2014 (abv 12.5%). Made by Albet i Noya, this has a delightful light freshness and there is a super delicacy to the profusion of bubbles. It is 100% Xarel-lo – and it’s soon clear that the evening is designed as a homage to this local Penedès varietal.
Xarel-lo (the X is pronounced pretty much as a “ch” for English speakers) is capable of “unparalleled greatness”, declares Joan Huguet, DO Penedès president. It offers a range of flavours from young and fruity to full-bloodied with mineral notes.And it’s able to retain a distinct identity across the various sub-regions while expressing the specific terroir of each site.
The El Corral wine is not designated as a Cava. That’s important. As Penedès goes determinedly up market, moving beyond the Cava tag is a deliberate strategy for many producers.
In 2014, a number of disenchanted producers left the Cava appellation to join the Penedès DOP. Then five years later, another group of producers unhappy with Cava’s image withdrew from the DOP to produce quality sparkling wine under their own brand, Corpinnat. Earlier this year, one Corpinnat producer, Recaredo became the first sparkling wine producer in Spain to be awarded 100 Parker points for its Enoteca Turó d’en Mota 2001.
For the London tasting, several Cava producers have left their big-selling sparklers at home and brought still wines instead.
Take Mr Eloi Alsina of Alsina & Sardà. He’s showing Inhòspit 2022 (12% abv). Oddly, the name translates as the ‘Inhospitable One’. It is 50% Xarel-lo and 50% Malvasia de Sitges. (The popular resort of Sitges resides within Penedès). Lees ageing is designed to give the wine an unctuous quality, balancing the fruity and tropical flavours with a smooth finish.
Carousel is presumably called that because there is a rotating residency of chefs. It has certainly come up with some remarkable food pairings. Celler Credo Capificat 2019 (12% abv, 100% Xarel-lo) is paired with tuna tataki, cucumber and lemon vinaigrette. Aged in old oak for three months, this is limited to 1,600 bottles. Then there is a dish of wild rice, foie gras and pickled raisins – a brilliantly improbable combination that is slightly dry in the mouth but really sets off the minerality of Amfores 2022 (12.5% abv, 100% Xarel-lo), an excellent low intervention wine made by Loxarel.
There is just one red to taste, the Familia Torres Clos Ancestral 2021 and this gives other grapes a look in. This is 45% Moneu, 35% Ull de Llebre (aka Tempranillo) and 15% Grenacha. With a dark cherry red colour, there are aromas of spices and strong red fruit on the nose and a decent structure. Torres is a Spanish institution, of course, but, despite its size, still cares about local grape varietals with its ambitious programme of saving them from extinction.
Another step in Penedès’ ascent is the decision to go organic. It’s been described as an ambitious target, but of the appellation’s wines, 95% are now organic, with a goal to make that 100% by next year.
Carousel’s menu has on it several dishes that should not work but somehow do. Consider the confit of duck resting on a sea of lentils and onions.
This is served with what I’d consider the star wine of the evening, the Electio 2012 from Parés Baltà. The fatty meat and the heavy lentils really bring the wine’s creamy texture and good acidity to the fore. The ageing in oak has been done with great subtlety and there is a long, satisfying finish. Sadly, production of “the elected” is highly limited with fewer than 2500 bottles a year. The vineyard’s website offers the much younger Electio 2022 for €40 a bottle. We don’t have prices for the other Penedès wine, but let’s hope they too are reasonably affordable.
