Catalan Wines
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How did Cava get so small?
by Miquel Hudin | 29-11-2023
"la DO Cava es mucho más que Corpinnat" “DO Cava is much more than Corpinnat” This was part of a declaration made by DO Cava president Javier Pagés at the beginning of February, 2019 when... more »
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Sparkling wines of Catalunya 2024
by Miquel Hudin | 27-11-2023
There is no hard date, but there definitely was a time in Spain when the concept of sparkling wine was “easier” as, from 1986 onwards, it was simply, “Cava”. It was easier even if it... more »
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Talking ‘Massal Selection’ with Álvaro Ribalta
by Miquel Hudin | 24-11-2023
It's the biggest irony that to get access to the most interesting wines from across Europe, you're best off going to anywhere in Europe where they don't produce wine (or at least not a lot... more »
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Verónica Ortega’s current releases
by Miquel Hudin | 22-11-2023
I’ve happily followed the work of Verónica Ortega since meeting her nearly a decade ago at Vinisud when that was still happening in Montpellier, France. Back then, she was starting out with her first releases... more »
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Wine shop closures abound
by Miquel Hudin | 15-11-2023
The big news in the Spanish wine scene at the moment is the announced closure of Lavinia's "flagship" wine shop in Madrid. Located at C/ de José Ortega y Gasset 16 in the upscale Salamanca... more »
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Sístole – Maturana Tinta 2021
by Miquel Hudin | 10-11-2023
When I first started encountering varietal Grenache wines in Rioja, I have to say, I wasn’t bowled over by a great many of them. It was often the case that they were from cooler point... more »
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The wines of DOC Rioja 2023 Part II & Viñedos Singulares
by Miquel Hudin | 06-11-2023
Our modern life has become one that’s all about sequels and thus, here we arrive to what is Part II of the larger Rioja report from September. This comes paired with a new Tasting Report... more »
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The Tenerife fire, what comes next
by Miquel Hudin | 03-11-2023
On 15 August, 2023, a massive forest fire started on the Canary Island of Tenerife and while now extinguished, the fire continued to burn for weeks after due to high winds causing flare ups. To... more »
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DOC Rioja recommends moratorium on new vine planting
by Miquel Hudin | 17-10-2023
In what is a large, yet unsurprising piece of news, the DOC Rioja council met on 16 October, 2023 and are recommending to the Spanish Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación that there be no... more »
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La Carbonera, Malpastor 2020, DOC Rioja, Spain
by Miquel Hudin | 11-10-2023
The winery of la Carbonera is the Torres family’s project in DOC Rioja which is locally referred to as Bodega Soto de Torres in Labastida, Álava and is a quite a massive structure in the... more »