Vins Família Ferrer “Can Sala” Paraje Calificado 2008 (€60+)

In 2016, a new designation was introduced by D.O. Cava as part of its long-term plan both to raise and promote the quality of the wines. Part of that plan is to emphasise the regionality of Cava, that it is not one generic monolith but a range of wines that express the different places they come from.

The 2016 designation was Cava de Paraje Calificado, the first attempt to formally introduce a specific sense of place into the official Cava regulations. This has been followed by the creation of different zones, such as Comtats de Barcelona, and sub-zones; for example, there are five within Comtats de Barcelona. This makes it so much easier for producers to talk about where exactly their wines come from.

Cava de Paraje Calificado is the most exact of all these designations. The wine must come from a single vineyard which the producer has owned for at least ten years; have yields of 6,000kg/ha (compared to 10,000kg/ha for introductory Cava); and only 60% of the pressed juice can be used for the wine. Although these rules may not seem particularly stringent, their application is. There are only six producers and eight vineyards which have received the award of the Paraje Calificado designation.

Vins Família Ferrer (one of three wineries I interviewed in February) is one of those producers, with two single-vineyard wines, both released under the Can Sala label because that’s the name of the vineyard. I got to taste the Can Sala 2008 this week, and it was extraordinary. The family has been making wine since the 1600s, and is now into the eighteenth generation. The vineyard lies in the heart of the village of Mediona high up in the mountains looking down on the rest of Penedès, warm and dry, with cooling nights. This is the essence of the Paraje Calificado designation, reflecting decades, if not centuries, of grape-growing and winemaking experience.

The wine is a 50/50 blend of Xarel·lo and Parellada (which excels in these high-elevation conditions), and is aged for twelve years on the lees. There’s a fino like nose, with aromas of yeast, sourdough, bread, cinnamon, nutmeg, and white pepper, with a briny salinity. Despite its age it’s still very fresh and lively, with ripe white peach aromas. A lovely balance between immediacy and maturity.

Astonishingly, this wine is not imported into the USA. Importers, what are you doing? This isn’t just my wine of the week, it’s my wine of the year.