A red wine from Priorat by Penedès winemaker Albert Jané Úbeda (Ritme Celler de La Vilela Alta) has been recognized as the best Catalan wine of 2023 with the Vinari awards, which were presented last night at a gala in Vilafranca del Penedès. This is Etern 2018, made with 75% Cariñena and 25% Garnacha Tinta planted in glass between 70 and 90 years ago on natural terraces with slate floors. From the organization of this competition in which the wines are tasted blind, it is stated that Etern 2018 is “long and round”, and it is added that it has great aging potential. This priorat has prevailed in an edition in which nearly a thousand wines have been presented.
According to its author, “this eternal wine represents the survival of the Priorat, its costers and some stubborn and brave winegrowers enduring the post-war period and the extremely harsh climate of the area.” Speaking to La Vanguardia's Comer channel, Albert Jané acknowledged that he received the award with “great happiness.” He sees it as a recognition of Priorat, of his own career starting from scratch in 2003 and “to the Catalan winemakers in general who love the land and are passionate about our work.” This El Vendrell producer wants to dedicate this success to his father Benjamí, “who is also eternal, and who taught me so much, making me fall in love with the world of wine from a very young age.” This wine has also won the award that proclaims it as the best red wine for aging of the year.
The award for the best sparkling wine of 2023 has gone to Clàssic Penedès (DO Penedès) El Corral Cremat 2012 by Albet i Noya, from Sant Pau d'Ordal. Made with xarel·lo, it is the product of a place with small plots surrounded by forests in a valley in the Ordal mountains. It takes its name from the fact that the Maset de Dalt corral located in this area burned in 1948, a building that had been uninhabited since 1930. It is the longest-aged sparkling wine (more than 100 months in contact with its lees) and the most personal. by Josep Maria Albet. From this Penedès winery it is stated that “El Corral Cremat is the legacy of more than 40 years producing organic wines from a place in the Ordal mountains.”
The wines from the Qualified DO Priorat (with 24 medals) and the sparkling wines from the DO Cava (with up to 82 medals, of which 5 are great golds) have been the main protagonists of the eleventh edition of these awards. Also notable are the 19 medals obtained by DO Montsant wines. In
Regarding the Priorat, Artigas Blanc 2020 from the winery Mas Alta de la Vilella Alta won the award for best white with aging and the Mas de la Rosa Gran Vinya Classificada 2021 from Vall Llach de Porrera was proclaimed the best red with aging . Regarding DO Cava, Cygnus Albireo Brut 2021 has won the award for best young sparkling wine, Fest Brut Rosat Organic de Vallformosa for best young rosé sparkling wine, Vilarnau Rosé Delicat Reserva Organic 2020 for best rosé sparkling wine Reserva, the Microtiratge 7 Trepat Brut Nature Reserva 2020 by Maria Rigol Ordi the best sparkling white Reserva and the Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2018 by Rimarts the best sparkling Gran Reserva.
As the best young white, it has been distinguished in the DO Terra Alta Prohom Experentia Blanc Eco 2022 from Celler Coma d’en Bonet, as the best young rosado in the DO Empordà Mallolet Rosat 2022 from Roig Parals, as the best brisado in the Contrapàs Blanc 2022 from Vinyes dels Aspres and as mejor sweet, rancid or dessert wine in the DO Montsant Pansal del Calàs 1998 from Celler de Capçanes.
The special awards were headed by the distinguished professional career of Josep Maria Puiggròs, founding partner of the Catalan Institute of Agrarian Studies. Vinyes Domènech de Capçanes has been proclaimed best ecological project, Castell d'Or best winery, Familia Torres has been recognized for its life recovery project, Ruta del Trepat for the promotion of the territory, Carol Vallès winery for its I work in social networks and the Astronomic wine of Celler Montsec has been awarded for its label.
