Articles – Page 59 – Colin Harkness on Wine

Non-Catalan Cava

IT’S CAVA, JIM, AND JUST AS WE KNOW IT!

Dear Reader,

Trekkie or not, you know where I’m coming from here – don’t be coy, admit it!

And the relevance to the weekly wine column, you might be asking? Well, the clue is in the name, Cava, Spain’s most famous Sparkling Wine. Approximately 95% of all Cava is made in Cataluña – that’s millions of bottles per annum. And if it’s stats that you’re after, here’s another – roughly 50% of the annual production of Cava is sold over the Christmas period! That’s a staggering amount of Cava for a myriad of celebrations up and down the country, as well as abroad.

However, this week’s column is in support of the underdog, the other 5%. The British are traditionally on the side of the underdog: David, rather than Goliath; Wimbledon’s bottom seed, rather than the top; the ‘also-ran’ before the bookies favourite; and of course Man Utd when playing Liverpool! We are a fountain of sympathy and empathy – but in the case of Cava’s minnows, the producers who are not making their bubbles in Cataluña, there’s no need to be sympathetic.

The 5% are doing very nicely thank you – at least in terms of the quality of their produce. It may well be (probably is) that those who craft their Cavas away from Cataluña, are envious of their big brother’s fame, success and of course, their huge volume sales. But their plea is not for your sympathy, it’s for your attention, for you to divert your purchasing power towards them as well!

The DO Cava is an unusual one in that it is not just in one geographical area where Cava is allowed to be made, like it is for example in: DOCa Rioja, DO Ribera del Duero, DO Jumilla et al. Cava can also be made, in fact, in La Rioja, as well as Cariñena, Valencia and even in Extremadura – which is just about as far away from Cataluña as you can be, whilst remaining in Spain.

However, the non-Catalan Cavas are, in almost every way, the same as those that we can term Catalan Cavas. The same grapes are permitted, the rules and regulations set down by the Consejo Regulador (Regulatory Committee) are the same, and the same stringent quality control measures are applied. The only differences (and yes, it is a significant difference) are the soils and micro-climates.

However, this is positive – think instead of the diversity of flavours and aromas that are thus obtainable by drinking non-Catalan Cava. Cabernet Sauvignon in Bordeaux is different from Chilean Cabernet, Italian Cabernet and so on. To coin a phrase, ‘Vive la Diference!’

In fact the first non-Catalan Cavas I received were from my old friends at Bodegas Muga, that world-wide respected producer of fine Rioja Wines. I find their Rosado Brut Cava quite enchanting. The colour is that of Billecart-Salmon Rosé Champagne (a favourite French Fizz of mine) and very similar to Muga’s delicately pale still rosado wine.

Conde de Haro Brut Rosé has lovely pink and red rose petals on the nose with raspberry too. On the palate, the depth of flavour takes one by surprise – it’s delicate and elegant, and yet full flavoured too. Drink this with Paella – it will be a knock-out!

Muga’s white Conde de Haro Vintage 2011 Brut has a super nose of white flowers, pear and a touch of cider, rather than citrus notes (see what I mean about diversity!) along with the unmistakable lovely aromas of your Mum’s baking. It’s a Brut, but one of the drier styles, making it a lovely aperitif as well as being fine with fish!

Next of the non-Catalan Cavas I received were from the Cariñena area. Many readers will know of the Gran Ducay, DO Cariñena, wines. Well-priced fruit driven still wines that are as easy to drink, as they are to find. Their Cavas, though not so readily available, are just as pleasant to drink and will get any party off to a good start!

The first point to note here is the value for money. The Rosado Gran Ducay, made with Garnacha and so pretty in the glass, retails for around 6€; and the Reserva Brut Nature for under 8€! Both embody the essence of Cava, the celebratory nature of the drink, with the reserve adding some depth on the palate which will make it a lovely fizz to accompany various different dishes.

Extremadura is a considerable distance from Cataluña. The Cava making area is centred around Almendralejo, slightly south and east of Badajoz and therefore not so far from Portugal. Although some way from the sea the huge expanse of, not the Mediterranean, but the Atlantic Ocean does impact on the climate, as do the soils of the Cava vineyards that are at a somewhat greater altitude than most of those in the Cataluña area.

Accordingly the Cavas I’ve tasted, from Bodegas Marcelino Díaz, have a slight difference too, with flavours and aromas ranging from chilli through to toffee apple! Fascinating – and I recommend you seek them out!

The distinctive leaf motif on the label of the first, a Brut Reserva, will make it stand out on the shelves of the wine shop, and if the proprietor opens a bottle, the aromas that assail the customer (in the nicest possible way!) will surely make him/her demand a taste! You’ll find a compelling, if faint whiff of chilli, then some herbs – a little sage, some thyme and a little wild fennel.

Just as you take a taste, you’ll smell a cider-esque fragrance, which follows onto the palate turning to under-ripe apple pie and finishing with the forgotten flavour (perhaps more aroma) of toffee apple! Wow!

From the same stable Cava of the bodega, Puerto Palma has slightly sweet-scented white flowers on the nose, followed by hazelnuts on the palate and perhaps blanched almonds. It has some weight on the palate with a roundness that provides a mid-length finish.

I knew before I tasted it, that Cava Chozas Carrascal Reserva Brut Nature was going to be a very good sparkling wine! As the cork was gently eased out (the antithesis of post-F1 Champagne opening! Why?!) the wine began to speak to me already. There was an instant floral, biscuit nose that, genie-like, escaped and immediately enticed me!

The Macabeo makes an immediate impact – the apple, slightly cider style aromas are a give away. Here the autolysis aromas, pleasant smells that are produced by the reaction to the second fermentation, are particularly biscuity, rather than bread, brioche and pastry. It reminded me of digestive biscuits, but with a very faint, exotic ginger spice as well.

Full, and it’s here that the Chardonnay makes its contribution, weighty with a mid to long length, the wine has elegance too. The still wines from this bodega, situated in-land from Valencia, in the Utiel/Requena area, are sought after and this Cava is certainly up there with the best!

NB The above are just a few of the Cavas that you can find that are not from Cataluña – my advice, experiment with more!

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com and Twitter @colinonwine; & visit www.colinharknessonwine.com – and of course you can join his e-mail list for updates on wine tastings, bodega visits etc!

The Christmas Wish List

THE WISH LIST!

SPANISH WINES FOR CHRISTMAS 2014

Yes, I know, it seems a bit late in the day to me, too – but this article, recommending wines to be served with the Christmas Dinner, available at best just six days before the big event, is a response to readers’ comments and requests!

A number of readers have said that in previous years my recommendations, published a few weeks in advance of Christmas, have been lost, along with the rest of whichever of the Costa News Group’s four main English language newspapers they regularly purchase, before they’ve had the time to go and buy them! I guess that those who buy the papers (about 150,000 of us each week) don’t naturally think of referring to the internet (www.costa-news.com click Cork Talk) where recent articles are all archived.

So if this is perfect timing for you, I’m pleased – if, it’s a little late, my apologies, but blame the others, willya!

The opening celebratory/ice-breaking/aperitif/starter wine, at that rate, an almost catch-all wine, just has to be a sparkler! But which one? A Cava from Cataluña, a Cava from one of the other zones permitted to make Cava, or a Spanish Sparkling Wine, other than Cava! What a wonderful, if difficult, choice!

This has been a very difficult decision for me to make – I love Spanish Sparkling Wine, in practically all its forms (almost all of the sweet styles, are not for me) and this year in particular I’ve tasted more than ever before. I’ve been lucky enough to try young, Reserva and Gran Reserva Cavas in the natural home of Cava, Cataluña; as well as those styles, but from outside of this zone.

I’ve also had great pleasure in tasting sparkling wine from Cataluña that is not, in fact Cava, as well as wonderful fizz from several different parts of Spain. Tough call – but in the end, for this Christmas 2014, I’ve gone for the sparkling wine that has delighted me more (albeit, marginally more) than all the others.

You are certain to impress your guests as well as yourself with Albet i Noya’s Brut Barrica 21 Reserva 3, Clàssic Penedés Sparkling Wine. It is simply stunning!

The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (the mainstays of Champagne) which make up the cuvée have been fermented for three weeks in French (Alliers) oak which, on opening, gives rise to the tantalising initial aromas of caramel and butterscotch which quickly make room for the traditional panaderia Sparkling Wine aromas of brioche as well as Danish pastry notes, with a citrus and heady floral suggestion too.

On the palate the wine is rich, voluminous, weighty and yet, elegant and subtle. You’ll find a tight acidity which keeps the wine fresh even after its 36 months ageing on its lees, En Rima, in the depths of the cellars. This ageing, which in Cava terms would qualify it as a Gran Reserva (Clàssic Penedès has different regulations), ensures a depth and complexity that is not normally found in many Sparkling Wines.

The oldest vines harvested for this outstanding Sparkling Wine are not yet 25 years of age so we can expect even more opulence, complexity and depth in future vintages. With only 6 grams of residual sugar it’s one of the drier Bruts, and all the better for it. Perfectly crafted, wonderful fizz, which you can happily pair with many dishes, including meat!

I’m taking you back to Cataluña for my white wine selection, in fact to a much vaunted Cava producer, Canals & Munné. However, whilst I love their Cavas, I’m recommending one of their still wines this year.

The still wine production, red, rosado and white, is somewhat in the shadow of Canals & Munné’s world famous Cavas, but it shouldn’t be, as there are excellent wines within this portfolio.

My favourite of the still wines (though it was very close, with both this wine and one of their red wines achieving the same scores) was their Gran Blanc Princeps Xarel.lo Fermentado en Barrica 2013.

For me, Xarel.lo is the new Chardonnay. It’s everyone’s friend as it can be fresh and fruity, more citrus than Chardonnay-esque exotic, with white floral and nutty notes too. Plus, like Chardonnay, it can take on very different flavours and aromas when oak is used in its elaboration, as with this wine. Either way, you’ll have a wine that is aromatic, quite deeply, to deeply flavoured, rounded and rich, with elegance too.

It’s the depth of flavour and the elegance of this FB (fermented in barrel) wine that I find most enchanting – a style that I can just go on drinking until the bottle is finished! It’s also a style that will sit wonderfully well with starters and, for those who prefer white wine to red with their turkey, it will pair perfectly with the main event!

As you might imagine, this being a country where there are so many excellent red wines, there was a plethora of real quality wines from which to choose the red wine that I am recommending for Christmas Dinner 2014.

Ultimately I had to choose just one. Acusp 2012 is made with 100% Pinot Noir! Unfortunately one doesn’t have much of a chance to taste good, and above, Pinot Noir in Spain. In Burgundy, it’s wonderful – rich but always with great elegance. It needs a cold climate really. But, with the average 1,000 metres altitude at which the vines are situated and the high density planting of Bodegas Castell D’Encus’ (DO Costers del Segre) Pinot Noir vineyard, the aroma and flavour profiles required of this demanding variety can be emulated.

It has a lovely silk negligee feel, with ripe, but not over-ripe, strawberries on the palate slowly overcoming the earthy forest leaves aroma. It’s juicy in the mouth and the fruit makes a presence throughout, but there are layers of flavour and a depth of pleasure as well as thought provoking complexity. The personification of elegance, this wine has everything!

I’m going to Jerez, for my final choice, the wine to accompany Christmas Pudding/Cake/Mince Pies, though I’m not, this time at least, going to recommend a Sweet PX (Pedro Ximénez) Sherry. But it’s close.

Lustau East India Cream Sherry is mahogany coloured and is one of the finest examples of this sherry style, so popular in the UK. It’s made by blending aged sweet sherry, made with the PX, and equally aged dry Oloroso made from the Palomino variety, the most widely used grape in Jerez.

It is then returned to large wooden casks and kept in the hot and humid atmosphere of the ‘sacrista’, the cellar – in a successful attempt to replicate the conditions under which the sherry casks of the 16^th Century would have been kept whilst lashed to the decks during its voyage from Spain to the Americas! The resulting wine has an extraordinary smooth, deep and complex character.

It’s sweet and rich with raison notes on the palate and nose and some coffee liqueur hints with a dash of caramel on the finish. A truly excellent finale to a wonderful feast!

Merry Christmas!

Don’t forget you can hear about all the wine related events I organise by simply being on my e-mail list – plus there are some exciting developments which will be read first by those on the list. There’s no charge, of course, and it’s so easy – just send me an e-mail and I’ll add your name and e-mail address! colin@colinharknessonwine.com

Also don’t forget to regularly visit www.colinharknessonwine.com + you can follow me on Twitter @colinonwine

Cava Dinner, Moraira, Costa Blanca

A MARRIAGE MADE IN MORAIRA

DO CAVA TAKES THE MARINA ALTA BY STORM!

Señor Pere Bonet, El Presidente del Consejo Regulador, DO Cava, with Cava Dinner Presenter, Colin Harkness

Whilst it is true that Claire and I spent our Wedding Night in Moraira’s elegant Hotel Swiss, this is not the eponymous marriage to which I refer. Perhaps it’s best that we keep that to ourselves, dear readers!

No, the maridaje I’m talking about here is one of a gastronomic nature – the pairing of different styles of Spain’s wonderful sparkling wine, Cava, with the varied dishes of a top class, four-course dinner in a highly rated restaurant, that of the Hotel Swiss. And what a night it was!

I remember way, back during the dying embers of August when dining on a superb lunch in the beautiful 11^th Century fortress that is home to Bodegas Segura Viudas, discussing, with my host ,the President of the Consejo Regulador, Denominación de Origen Cava, Señor Pere Bonet, the possibility of presenting a Cava orientated dinner. It was an honour to be asked to present such a dinner, albeit a little nerve-racking as the President was to be in attendance on the night in question!

I was very excited about the prospect – you see it’s the concept that I love, as well as the the protagonists, quality Cava and haute cuisine. I once went to such a dinner twenty-plus years ago, in fact in the UK, where the sparkling wine is question was a lesser one, it’s true – a French fizz, named Shampoo or something like that(!) and enjoying it immensely.

Like my fellow invitees on the night, it was a fascinating to learn that, whilst there can be no better celebratory drink than sparkling wine, celebration is not it’s only raison d’etre. When a balanced, full dinner is served with a well chosen Cava styles, the effect is something of a revelation. I felt it my duty to illustrate this to the full house who arrived in their finery, befitting such a venue!

But what do I mean by ‘the different Cava styles’?. Well, probably most of us buy Cava Brut, and probably the young versions of this classic ‘style’ of fizz. Such a sparkling wine is legally defined as having no more than 12gms of sugar/litre as well as having had a minimum of nine months ‘en rima’ before it is released on to the market.

‘En rima’ means the wine is left with its lees (the dead yeast that was added to the base wine in order to facilitate the second fermentation, that which creates carbon dioxide bubbles) whilst in the inverted bottle. So the different ‘styles’ of Cava are derived from variations on these themes – the amount of permitted grams of sugar and the length of time ‘en rima’. These variations result in Cavas of very different styles – that’s: flavours, aromas, body, depth, complexity and more.

When this is understood, it doesn’t take a degree in the science of food pairing to realise that these differing styles of Cava will therefore suit a variety of different dishes. And that’s exactly what we all enjoyed at Hotel Swiss, just at the end of November.

Revelers, reveling - at the Swiss Hotel, Moraira, where a super 4-course dinner was accompanied solely by different styles of Cava! — Revelers, reveling – at the Swiss Hotel, Moraira, where a super 4-course dinner was accompanied solely by different styles of Cava!

The first of the styles we tasted was a Joven (young) Brut Cava. Made from the three most commonly used traditional grape varieties, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel.lo, 33+% each. The wine delighted us all with its clean, refreshing acidity and its pairing with the amuse bouches and innovative first course of salad with jamón serrano, pear, lettuce leaves and baked cherry tomatoes plus dressing. A good start, and in fact for several tasters, their favourite of the four different styles we were to taste!

The Cava served with next course, a perfectly cooked and presented fillet of sea bass, upped the ante in terms of depth of flavour, whilst retaining that oh so important freshness, the foundation on which all styles of Cava should be based. The Reserva Cava we tasted here had, had two months longer than the 15 months minimum time spent on its lees (en rima) in order for it to qualify as a Reserva.

For many of us it was clear that we were experiencing a deeper, fuller and more complex sparkling wine with a greater mouthfeel and weight. The 50% Macabeo made it’s presence felt in terms of the required acidity and slight green apple aroma and flavour, whilst the 35% Parellada added elegance and an understated floral and slightly earthy nose. The Xarel.lo in the blend was just enough to ensure a full and long finish. I thought it excellent!

Having experienced a meat course served with a Gran Reserva Cava when in Cataluña, coincidentally on the opening day of the 2014 Cava harvest, I knew that such a style of Cava, in this case a Brut Nature, the driest possible style of sparkling wine with a maximum of only 3grams of sugar per litre, would manage the challenge set before it. This Cava took part in an elegant dance of flavours, body and richness, served as it was with Magret de Canard.

A Gran Reserva Cava has to have had a minimum of 36 months en rima – this weighty and yet noticeably elegant, full-flavoured and enticingly perfumed venerable Cava has enjoyed, rather regally in my view, an ageing of 45 months before its release. It’s a wine that, whilst complementing such a flavoursome dish, also needs to be savoured on its own. A wonderful Cava!

I’d like to acknowledge here the advice that my UK based colleague; Fiona Beckett of www.matchingfoodandwine.com, gave me regarding the final pairing – dessert with a Brut Rosado Cava. A number of ideas were circulating my small brain but it was Fiona’s recommendation that we paired this wine with a cheesecake that focussed myself and the Head Chef of the Swiss Hotel.

Made with Trepat, Monastrell and Garnacha (all black grape varieties, of course) and having had a full 15 months en rima, this Cava has balanced freshness, fruit aromas and flavours as well as depth. Red cherries, raspberries and redcurrant, with a passing nod to pomegranate seeds, abound, complementing rather nicely the black forest fruits of the cheesecake. Lovely and pretty too!

And the prevalence of all the cavas we tasted on this rather special evening – well it’s actually a secret, that hasn’t been revealed to me either! The Consejo Regulador has generic examples of all the different styles of Cava (we’ve considered just four in this article – there are more) made specifically for them as a backbone to their promotional activities all over the world. Therefore advertising that which Cava generally can provide, rather than that which specific bodegas make.

So, now that you hopefully have a better understanding of Cava and all its possibilities you can seek out bodegas making the many styles of Cava whose wines suit you personally. And let’s face it – such research isn’t exactly a hardship! Enjoy!

Oh - and you'll need these! — Oh – and you’ll need these!

Contact Colin: colin@colinharknessonwine.com & through his website www.colinharknessonwine.com as well as via Twitter @colinonwine .

Give Us This Day Our Daily Wine

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY WINE!

*GUÍA DEL VINO COTIDIANO Los Mejores Vinos Por Menos de 10€

Over the years I’ve been chastised several times by readers who are frustrated that, having read about a certain wine, they’d like to know how much it costs, and I haven’t given this information in my article. I understand, but the fact is that I am usually generously sent the wines directly from the bodegas, gratis (told you this wine stuff is tough!) and therefore, I don’t know the prices.

When I am informed about the prices I do try and include them, to everybody’s advantage – but I admit that this isn’t as often as readers might like. Well fear not, even if you don’t speak Spanish so well, the *‘Guide to Daily Wine, The Best Wines for Under 10€’, is the ideal answer!

There are a number of Spanish Wine Guides – I often refer to the most famous and certainly the most comprehensive, The Peñin Guide; as well as to the excellent Guía Proensa. The former no longer lists the prices of the 10,000+ wines included in the guide; and whilst the latter does, this is a guide to ‘Los Mejores Vinos de España’, ‘The Best Wines of Spain’, and therefore might be considered by many as somewhat exclusive.

It depends what you are after – and let’s face it, the continuing poor economic outlook for many translates to us having to be careful re how much money we spend on wine. This guide, written under the auspices of MiVino/Vinum (available from www.mivino.es) concentrates solely on those Spanish wines that retail at under 10€ per bottle, which is probably the figure that most of us are prepared to spend for, as it says on the tin, our daily wines.

If you are like me (Heaven help you, if so!) you perhaps enjoy a glass (or more) of wine on most nights. Well, as we all know, this can add up to a significant monthly outgoing, so any guide that suggests wines under 10€/btl and includes a write-up has to be useful.

All of the contributing Denominaciónes de Origen (it seems not all of the DOs of Spain are represented, though most are) are listed on the opening pages along with a very useful explanation of the Gastronomic Symbols placed next to the wines (such as: recommended with olives, smoked meats, etc) and the marking system, and how this relates to other marking systems. Also, and this is particularly pertinent, a quick and easy to understand symbol that tells you that the wine is, for example under 4€, and so on.

Plus, if you are looking for a wine from this group, perhaps for a special occasion, there is a section for easy reference that lists the top wines (those which earn over 8 points out of 10).

I’ve read every page of the book and was delighted to confirm that, contrary to what some critics believe (that is that I personally live exclusively in the rarefied atmosphere of the very expensive wines) many of the wines included in this guide are well known to me.

But where to start, re some recommendations to Cork Talk readers? Well, firstly I highly recommend this guide, ‘GUÍA DEL VINO COTIDIANO Los Mejores Vinos Por Menos de 10€’ as a perfect Christmas Present for the wine buyer in your house! You’ll find that you are obtaining far more out of your wine choices whilst simultaneously saving money as your decisions will be better informed and you won’t have wasted money on a wine that in fact is not to your taste.

It is true that the wine descriptions are written in Spanish – so initially, this may be a hindrance for some, but look at this way – it’s an ideal opportunity to polish your Spanish, at least that which is related to Wine! So another advantage of the guide!

Considering firstly, the wines that attract the ‘hasta 4€’ (up to 4€) symbol – amongst those listed, I can recommend:

The Homenaje, white, rosado and red from DO Navarra – are consistently good quality, punching above their weight in terms of aroma and flavour delivery. Borsao from DO Campo de Borja have other wines in the higher brackets in this guide (so don’t forget them when considering those wines that retail at 4€ – 7€ and those from 7€ – 10€) but their Tinto Seleción 2013 is a good buy at under 4€. The Estola range from DO La Mancha has several entries at this level and I know that many readers will be well aware of this range, but look also for Torre de Gazete, from this DO – amongst others.

From DO Jumilla there are entries here from the Casa de la Ermita bodega which I’ve visited on a number of occasions. Of the more famous areas, DO Ribera del Duero has one entry with a few also from La Rioja. Plus there are lots more in the guide.

If we up the ante and go to the next bracket, the 4€ – 7€ range you won’t be spoilt for choice, from almost all the DOs represented as there is a plethora of red, white and rosado, as well as Cava and Sherry. This includes the amazingly popular Verdejo ( and blends) plus Sauvignon wines from DO Rueda – Cuatro Rayes, Bornos, Mantel for example, all of which I’ve tasetd and enjoyed, plus many more. You’ll find a lot of Ribera del Duero wines in this bracket and I’m often being told that readers are currently, generally, buying more Ribera del Duero wines than they are Rioja, though Spain’s oldest and most famous producing area is also very well represented in this bracket.

In the top bracket, where many, but certainly not all of those in the ‘Cuadro de Honor’, the best wines of the guide, are listed, you’ll find a host of wines which really do deserve your attention.

And this is another of the advantages of the ‘Vino Cotidiano’ Guide – it gives you an instant recommendation, as well as price guide, of wines that you may see on the wine shop and supermarket shelves which you don’t know and from areas of which you perhaps have not even heard. So, you can start to take of those blinkers and experiment in your wine buying, without it being a gamble anymore!

And don’t forget – if, whilst contemplating a purchase, you are also wondering with what food you should drink the wine, well that’s covered in the guide too! Happy *Christmas!

*Which reminds me, if you are looking to start celebrations a week before the big day, and are based near enough to Moraira, you may like to attend a tasty Gourmet Tapas/Spanish Wine Pairing event on the 18^th December at The Venue Bar/Restaurant where I’ll be presenting wines of the above calibre to match some super tapas. There are some seats left, please contact me: colin@colinharknessonwine.com or by phone 629 388 159.