Monday, July 7, 2008
Celler Lavinyeta Mollet de Perelada D.O. Empordà
A two year old project that's already catching people's attention. Set in what seems like the middle of nowhere with the Pyrenees behind and the coast in the far distance and yet with Figueres just fifteen minutes away.
22 hectares of old Carinyena and Garnatxa vines with the more recent inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and experimental varieties such as Marsellan which is a Garnatxa/Cab Sauv cross. According to Josep Serra, the young owner, winemaker and general dogsbody the estate was allowed to run down for many years until his family who have made money in the pig business (typically Catalan) took it on some six years ago. The local pensioners were concerned that the old olive trees were being sacrificed to make way for the new vines, but they were assured that these trees were part of the overall project. Unfortunately, olive oil production is still very limited and the fosc brand of 100% argudell is currently sold out.
The wines on the market as of July 2008 are Heus white, rosé and red, all from the 2007 and Llavors a red aged in oak casks. These weren't tasted on the visit, since already familiar with them, but Marsellan ageing in French oak was ripe with interesting fresh fruit unlike so many of its overripe, syrupy neighbours. Other wine tasted whose name is still a secret was from a stainless steel tank. 15 months of oak ageing was too apparent for my taste, but good fruit nonetheless. Available for the Christmas campaign sometime in October.
22 hectares of old Carinyena and Garnatxa vines with the more recent inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and experimental varieties such as Marsellan which is a Garnatxa/Cab Sauv cross. According to Josep Serra, the young owner, winemaker and general dogsbody the estate was allowed to run down for many years until his family who have made money in the pig business (typically Catalan) took it on some six years ago. The local pensioners were concerned that the old olive trees were being sacrificed to make way for the new vines, but they were assured that these trees were part of the overall project. Unfortunately, olive oil production is still very limited and the fosc brand of 100% argudell is currently sold out.
The wines on the market as of July 2008 are Heus white, rosé and red, all from the 2007 and Llavors a red aged in oak casks. These weren't tasted on the visit, since already familiar with them, but Marsellan ageing in French oak was ripe with interesting fresh fruit unlike so many of its overripe, syrupy neighbours. Other wine tasted whose name is still a secret was from a stainless steel tank. 15 months of oak ageing was too apparent for my taste, but good fruit nonetheless. Available for the Christmas campaign sometime in October.
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