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Pere Mata - Mata I Coloma, L'Ensamblatge, Cava, Brut Nature

Catalonia, Spain 2008 (750mL)
$28.00
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Pere Mata - Mata I Coloma, L'Ensamblatge, Cava, Brut Nature


Cava can be produced in several Spanish wine regions. The town in which Mata I Coloma is located, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, is the birthplace of Cava and is also the source for the highest quality wines. Today, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia remains the heart of Cava country with its production dominating 95% of the surrounding area. Pere Mata has chosen to grow only the traditional varietals originally grown here: Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. His vineyards are nestled in the rolling hillside landscape of Penedès, about an hour northwest of the architectural wonders and delights of Barcelona. The soils in his vineyards are comprised of limestone, sand and clay, which all lend to the serious minerality of Pere Mata’s wines. 

The winery has been family-owned and operated from the beginning and Pere Mata guides this legacy with passionate respect for the land and the traditional farming methods of his ancestors. He farms organically and hopes to bring as much balance into the vineyards as possible, using nature’s power alone. When drinking Pere Mata’s wines, it is apparent that he has been greatly inspired by the Champagnes of France. I have been told that the wines of Jacques Selosse and Cédric Bouchard have offered Pere Mata some serious inspiration and have set the bar for him to move towards. This particular release, the 2008 L'Ensamblatge, is a blend of 50% Xarel-lo, 25% Macabeo and 25% Parellada. The primary fermentation happens in stainless steel then is transferred to bottle for secondary fermentation. After secondary fermentation in bottle, the wine rests for five years on its lees, which grants this particular bottling the, “Gran Reserva Cava,” designation. This particular Cava retains the purity of its terroir partly because Pere Mata has chosen to eschew the addition of dosage (sugar); by French and Spanish law, this Cava is considered a, “Brut Nature,” otherwise known as sparkling wine in its purest form.  The final product hearkens to the greatness of French Champagne yet it still possesses its own style, minerality and flavor unique to northeast Spain. The price to quality here is unreal. If you love Champagne, you must try this Cava to understand the quality coming from the best producers. 

The 2008 L'Ensamblatge  is a beautiful example of Spanish sparkling wine’s vast potential. In the glass, its golden straw yellow core moves to green and yellow reflections on the rim. After five years sur lie, this Cava possesses a level of aromatic complexity unlike many of its peers. After a few minutes in the glass, the wine opens up and reveals complex aromas of dried yellow apple, dried lemon peel, white mushrooms, croissant dough, beezwax, puréed hazelnuts and white flowers. On the palate, the wine is round and creamy with flavors of brioche, dried yellow apple, crushed nuts and lemon zest with a chalky mineral finish. Temperature and glassware are both key for allowing the personality of this wine to shine; I recommend enjoying this wine just under cellar temperature (about 50F) in an all-purpose white wine stem. Do not serve this beauty in a traditional Champagne flute or the aromas will be subdued. If you’re taking this wine out of the refrigerator, do so about twenty minutes prior to serving.

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Country
Spain
Region
Catalonia
Sub-Region
SpainGran Reserva Cava D.O.
Soil
Limestone, Sand and Clay
Farming
Organic
Blend
50% Xarello – 25% Macabeu – 25% Parellada
Alcohol
11.5
OAK
Neutral

Spain

Eastern Spain

Montsant

The Montsant DO is Priorat’s downslope neighbor in northeastern
Spain, but other than differences in altitude, there isn’t much else to tell their terroirs apart. Both appellations contain some of the world’s greatest old-vine Garnacha (Grenache) in soils of fractured granite and shale known locally as llicorella. It is a Mediterranean climate, with wide diurnal temperature swings.

Eastern Spain

Penedès

Technically, a wine labeled ‘Cava’ can be produced in several different regions, but Penedès, on Spain’s northern Mediterranean coast, is its
spiritual home. The climate is Mediterranean, the soils a favorable mix of limestone (key in pre-serving acids), sand, and clay, and Cava sparklers are crafted in the traditional ‘Champagne’ method. The traditional grapes used for Cava are Xarel-lo (cha-RAY-yo), Macabeu, and Parellada.

Northwestern Spain

Galicia

Galicia is lusher, colder, wetter, and greener than most of the rest of Spain, especially where wine-growing
is concerned. Viticulture up here is some of the most “heroic” in the world, as vineyards cling to impossibly steep slopes along snaking rivers such as the Miño and
the Sil. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean is profound, often lending wines a salty, “sea spray” character.

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