L’Alzinar Brut Nature Reserva 2022

Wine description for L’Alzinar Brut Nature Reserva 2022 by Vins El Cep

Colour & Appearance

Luminous pale yellow with bright, greenish highlights. The perlage is even with a medium grain.

Nose

Initially powerful and reductively styled. Maritime and saline with notes of oyster shell, sea spray and ocean breeze, underlined by an ethereal herbal carpet of lemon thyme, lemon balm, mint and hay. Subtle fruit accents of grapefruit, nashi pear and white peach meet the scent of freshly chopped almonds and salted dough.

Palate

An uncompromising Brut Nature: austere, bold and extremely focused. Lean and racy on the palate with a calcareous, almost chalky texture. Bone dry, driven by a taut acidity. Savoury, firm nuances of artichoke, fennel fronds and coriander seeds yield to a salty finish with an extremely mouth-watering, fine bitter touch.

Terroir & Origin

The fruit originates from the lime-rich soils of the Alta Penedès in the Anoia Valley, grown at altitudes of 200 to 400 metres. The extremely hot and dry 2022 vintage brought a historically early harvest with nearly 25% loss in yield, yet preserved vibrant freshness in the grapes thanks to cool nights. As a certified “Elaborateur Integral”, Vins El Cep works exclusively with its own estate grapes.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A classic blend of 50% Xarel·lo as well as 25% each of Macabeo and Parellada, with some vines planted as early as 1958. The base wine ferments in stainless steel before the sparkling wine matures on its lees for at least 30 months after secondary bottle fermentation.

Food Pairing

A masterful aperitif thanks to its grippy, salty nature. Excellent with fresh oysters, seafood ceviche, sashimi or tinned sardines.

Particularities

As the product of one of the pioneers of biodynamic viticulture in Catalonia, this unvarnished estate Cava without dosage sets the benchmark for uncompromising clarity and provenance.