Cellar Profile
Castell de Pujades is a family-run winery situated in the heart of the renowned Classic Penedès region of Catalonia. For six generations, the Ferrer family has been growing grapes indigenous to the region here: Macabeu, Xarel-lo, Parellada and the almost extinct Red Xarel-lo. Their focus is on crafting wines that have a sense of place and that showcase the terroir of the vineyard. To that end, they farm organically and work the land by hand. Classic Penedès is Cava country and the specialty of the winery. The vineyards are planted in calcareous rock, with patches of gravel and sand. Dry-farmed, the vines are protected from the hot, humid summers by the winds that come off the nearby Mediterranean. Evenings here are cool—at times barely above freezing during the growing season—due to the elevation and proximity to the ocean. This large diurnal shift allows for full ripening and development of flavour, while retaining the acidity necessary to make great Cava.
Region
Located southwest of the Spanish city of Barcelona, the Penedès wine appellation straddles two coastal provinces, Barcelona in the north and Tarragona further south. The Penedès vineyards are divided into three sub-regions, related to topography: low (maritime), central and high. The region stretches westward and inland from the Mediterranean Sea over undulations and hills known as the Catalan coastal depression, the coastal range and the pre-coastal mountains where vines thrive at up to 2,600 feet (800 meters) elevation. Mediterranean winters are generally mild, while summers are hot with average temperatures hovering in the 30°C range. The clay, sand and limestone soils below the grapes are generally dry and friable, conducive to letting vines penetrate deeply.
Vineyard
Located in the upper Penedès, in a privileged plane between the Mediterranean Sea and the pre-coastal mountain range, specifically in Costers del Montmell. At an altitude of 300 masl, the vineyards receive the influence of both sun and sea—ideal for viticulture.
Winemaking
Traditional method, 22 months on lees before dégorgement.
Varieties
Garnacha is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, where it is believed to have originated. It is generally spicy, berry-flavoured and soft on the palate, and it produces wine with a relatively high alcohol content.
Tasting Notes
Pale pink in the glass with a full, creamy moose. Aromas of strawberry, raspberry and cassis entice the nose. The palate is brilliantly fresh, fleshy, inherently fruity, evoking red fruits and spices with notes of candy and a slight touch of raspberry jam. The finish is long and elegant.