Penedès DO straddles both the Barcelona and Tarragona provinces.
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| Map of Penedes DO (Source: Penedes DO) |
The region is wide and open, covering, as it does, a long strip of land between the sea and the mountains. It is divided into three distinct zones (see map above):
- Penedès Superior -- the land near the inland mountain range; higher rainfall and larger contrasts between minimum and maximum temperatures; the soil is a mix of limestone, sand, and clay.
- Penedès Marítime -- the land between the sea and the coastal hills. The climate here is a mild Mediterranean (due to its proximity to the sea) and the soil is a mix of limestone, sand, and clay.
- Penedès Central -- the plain between Superior and Marítime. The climate is a mix of the two and the soil has the same composition.
White grape varieties are dominant with 4/5ths of the 15,200 ha devoted to their plantings. The white grapes are Xarel.lo (the most widely planted with 7000 ha under vine), Macabeu, Parellada, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Red varieties include Garnatxa, Monastrel, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Samó, and Ull de Llebre.
Penedès is known for its still wine and its Cavas. In the case of the still wines, most are drunk in the year after bottling. The Cava producers have upped their game by introducing a category (2014) called Classic Penedès which covers traditional and ancestral Cava production with a requirement of 100% organic, 100% Penedès, and 100% Reserva (minimum 15 months aging).
Why Penedès as an Emergent Wine Region?
The region is at the forefront of moving vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming. Beyond that it is not clear why Torres positioned it as an emergent region. Cava has been made there for a while as, have solid white wines. Red wines are ascendant but they are not readily available outside the region. Penedès DO is engaged in the battle for Cava supremacy but that is a battle to carve up an existing cake and I see nothing therein which is "emergent" level.
Parés Baltà Hisenda Miret 2017: A wine from this Emergent Region
Vines were first planted in the area that surrounds the winery back in 1790. Current family ownership stretches back to 1978 when Mr Joan Cuisine took control of the winery.
The enterprise controls five vineyards but the one of interest to us is Finca Cal Miret in the town of Sant Martí Sarroca. The vines are resident on deep, brown agrillaceous limestone soils at elevations ranging between 298 and 325 m and inclines of between 5 and 15%. Varieties planted include Garnatxa, Xarel.lo, Macabeu, Syrah, Merlot, and Muscat.
All of the Parés Baltà vineyards are Demeter-certified biodynamic. Initial studies began in 2010, with the first biodynamic treatments produced, and applied, in 2011. Vineyards are cultivated without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. Sheep provide fertilization material to the vineyards in the period following the harvest. The estate practices green pruning -- to increase air circulation and sun exposure -- and green harvesting -- to increase concentration and character in the remaining grapes.
Hisenda Miret is a 100% Garnatxa wine which is fermented in stainless steel for 3 weeks with thrice-daily punchdowns. The wine is aged for 5 months in new and 2-year-old French oak barrels.
The 2017 edition of this wine showed intense red fruit and a florality out of the glass. It jumps out at you. Complex. The intensity carries through to the palate. The tannin makes its presence felt, as does the acidity. Lengthy finish. I loved this wine.
The enterprise controls five vineyards but the one of interest to us is Finca Cal Miret in the town of Sant Martí Sarroca. The vines are resident on deep, brown agrillaceous limestone soils at elevations ranging between 298 and 325 m and inclines of between 5 and 15%. Varieties planted include Garnatxa, Xarel.lo, Macabeu, Syrah, Merlot, and Muscat.
All of the Parés Baltà vineyards are Demeter-certified biodynamic. Initial studies began in 2010, with the first biodynamic treatments produced, and applied, in 2011. Vineyards are cultivated without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. Sheep provide fertilization material to the vineyards in the period following the harvest. The estate practices green pruning -- to increase air circulation and sun exposure -- and green harvesting -- to increase concentration and character in the remaining grapes.
Hisenda Miret is a 100% Garnatxa wine which is fermented in stainless steel for 3 weeks with thrice-daily punchdowns. The wine is aged for 5 months in new and 2-year-old French oak barrels.
The 2017 edition of this wine showed intense red fruit and a florality out of the glass. It jumps out at you. Complex. The intensity carries through to the palate. The tannin makes its presence felt, as does the acidity. Lengthy finish. I loved this wine.
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The regions identified as emergent by Torres in his initial article are:
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