Aloja Cellars Montsant Aloja Negre 2010 750ml

Winery: Aloja Cellars

Region: Cataluna

With sixty thousand hectares of prime land under vine, and over two hundred bodegas and wineries operating there, the Spanish region of Catalunya is a vitally important centre for Spanish wine production and viticulture. It seems this has been the case for several thousand years, and recent archaeological findings have proven that Catalunya has a wine history which pre-dates Roman Spain by a considerable margin, making it one of the oldest wine regions in the world. Catalan wines today are dominated by the ever popular sparkling Cava wines, made in the methode champenois, and drank across the globe as a fine replacement for the more expensive Champagne wines. However, the excellent climatic conditions and terroir of Catalunya means that the bodegas of the region can also produce excellent still red and white wines, made from the wide range of grape varietals which thrive there.

Country: Spain

Ever since the Phoenicians and Romans brought their knowledge of vine cultivation to Spanish soils, the country's culture has grown alongside wine production, with wine being a vital part of Spanish identity and Spanish traditions. Each region of Spain has a wine quite distinct from the others, and it is produced by smallholders and families as much as it is by large companies and established wineries. From the relatively mild and lush regions of La Rioja to the arid plateaus that surround Madrid, grapes are grown in abundance for the now booming Spanish wine industry, and new laws and regulations have recently been put in place to keep the country's standards high. By combining traditional practices with modern technology, Spanish wineries are continuing to produce distinctive wines of great character, flavor and aroma, with the focus shifting in recent decades to quality over quantity.