The Mediterranean Coast

This massive area includes Cataluña; there is a DO that bears the same name, and it encompasses many of the top areas. The warmth and winds of the Mediterranean are crucial for the vineyards, always exposed to the sun light, whether near or far from the coast. Many of the vineyards can have a fairly moderate, coastal climate, for example in Alella, or remote mountainous areas such as Priorat. In Cataluña most of all, the proximity to the sea and the elevation are fundamental to the vines. Alella offers some delicious whites from the Pansa Blanca grape (known as Xarel-lo in Cava country); it can be aromatic and expressive. White wines prosper in a number of sites along the Mediterranean, but the reds are more frequently found. Empordá makes some full and textured #GarnachaBlanca based wines, but other good examples can be found in the regions of Montsant or Priorat. The Penedés region, instead, is considered the home of Cava: 95% of the country’s production is found here. As throughout most of Spain, the reds produced on the Mediterranean coast are the most prized. DO’s such as Conca de Barbera, Costers del Segre, Empordá, Pla de Bages and Terra Alta have a dizzying array of wines from both international and indigenous grapes. Thanks to the heat, Garnacha feels at home, and it is planted far more than Tempranillo. On the opposite side one can find Syrah and the Bordeaux varieties, these show up in more elevated and protected sites. The great success story in recent years is in and around the Tarragona region where some vines end up as Cava and some harbor red grapes. One thing is for sure, that Priorat and its baby brother Montsant (also known as the “poor man’s Priorat” to some), the Spanish wine landscape has changed; these craggy hills and mountains allow Garnacha, Cariñena, along with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah to bake into powerful wines, especially when grown from the old vines found throughout. These wines are powerful and warm, but they carry a fresh and even slightly racy core that gives them shape and complexity. The landscape is also distinct; the licorella soil, a mix of granite and slate adds firm mineral notes; aromas at the foundation of this wine, regardless of the grapes. Closer to the coast you will find Penedés, an area that is home to more than Cava. The sparkling wine from here is a heavy weight among its competitors. The region is broken into the Alt-Penedés, Mitja-Penedés, and Baix-Penedés, there are disparities in elevation within Penedés, some vineyards have been planted at 2,500 feet above sea level. All the grapes (especially the most dominant ones —Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada) at those altitudes can be intensely tart, akin to the raciness of Champagne. Farther southwest down the coast, the average temperatures are higher, and there is less opportunity to make light wines. Instead the Levante, an area around Valencia and Murcia, is wholly dependent upon water, and the grapevines suffer without it. In certain areas such as Alicante, Bullas, Utiel-Requena, Valencia and Yecla the producers are dedicated to quality, and the vineyards are elevated enough to provide cooling nighttime temperatures. One of the stars here is Jumilla, which does not differ greatly from its neighbors, except in its production track record. Over the last two decades Jumilla has crafted delightful wines, whether created along with Monastrell (or Mourvèdre, as the French call it), Garnacha, or blended with other grapes. But most of these wines are very reasonably priced and their flavor is often rich and delicious.