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Agustí Torelló Mata Winery Guide

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Winery Overview

Agustí Torelló Mata is one of the most prestigious sparkling wine producers in Spain and has arguably created more prestige for the reputation of Cava than any other winery in the Penedès region of Catalunya. Their hard work and world-renowned expertise have proven that Cava – Spain’s only sparkling wine appellation – can rival the world’s best Champagnes and sparkling wines! Kripta, for instance, their cult cava, is a collector’s wine and outstanding.

They have pursued this goal with single-mindedness and determination, creating exquisite, hand-crafted Cavas only on indigenous varieties from the region’s finest vineyards. While their neighbors may have been tempted to include ever-increasing quantities of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (permitted under the D.O guidelines), this winery prefers to craft regionally expressive Cava that reflects the unique terroir of Penedès.

Agustí Torelló Mata came into existence in the 1950s after founding father Agustí Torelló decided to pursue his dream of creating a high-quality, premium sparkling winery in the legendary vineyard region of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, just south of Barcelona. He set out to dispel the myth that Cava means cheap sparkling wine, knowing that the best terroirs in Penedès were unique; they just needed someone to exploit them properly! So he decided not to follow in his family’s footsteps at a young age – who were tailors and musicians! – and he founded a small winery in 1950. A brave endeavor with no guarantee of financial success was supported by his work in the region’s first wine analysis center, which Mata created in 1953. Supplementing his income by managing other estates, Agustí Torelló’s Cava’s reputation soon grew on the international stage. Simultaneously, he established a promotional body – the Cava Guild- of which he was justifiably elected President of Honor.

The fine reputation of the estate and Agustí Torelló’s great work continued to grow into the 21st century; today, the winery is still in the capable family hands, managed by his four sons: Agustí, Gemma, Alex, and Lali. They have expanded their estate’s holdings to 35ha of organic vineyards and also buy in fruit from over 100 ha to cover their requirements. Their range of Cavas includes dry and very dry, low dosage styles, focusing solely on growing the area’s indigenous varieties with impressive results. All their Cavas are excellent, but the show’s star is undoubtedly their cuvee prestige, Kripta. The packaging is enough to cause a stir: a distinctive, amphora-shaped bottle with an avant-garde label design.

The idea behind this special vintage bottling came to Agustí Torelló Mata at the family home in the late 1970s, 1979, to be precise, when he realized that his winery should make use of the oldest vineyards in Penedès to craft something truly unique. The wine is only produced in the most exceptional vintages; after an extended period of 5-6 years on its lees, Kripta emerges as a highly complex, full-bodied, and rich Cava. The perfect ambassador for the exceptional sparkling wines of this estate!

Private Wine Tours in Penedès

Private Wine Tours in Penedès

Discover Penedès with private Cava cellar visits, refined sparkling and still wine tastings, elegant regional dining, and expert-led touring near Barcelona.

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Further Reading

Author

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James Lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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