Dolc Mataro 2020 375ml

A sweet wine made from pure Mataró, whose sweetness comes not from fortification but purely from the residual sugar of dried berries. Spice and fruit density carry the wine, while a cool foundation keeps it lively despite its 14.5% vol.

The vines grow in the amphitheatre-like setting of Alta Alella, at 150 to 300 metres above sea level, with a direct view of the nearby Mediterranean. The soil is a sandy, granite-based sauló, the climate Mediterranean. The estate lies within the Serralada de Marina natural park, two kilometres from the sea. Josep Maria and Cristina Pujol-Busquets bought the overgrown Can Genís estate in 1991; today their daughters Mireia and Georgina run the operation, organic since day one.

Mataró, known elsewhere as Monastrell or Mourvèdre. The grapes ripen on the vine and are picked shortly before fully drying out, then hand-selected and destemmed. This is followed by six months of maceration in steel tank, with the cap of skins pumped over daily at first, then weekly. After gentle pressing, the wine matures for two months in French oak.

The nose leads with cinnamon, star anise and speculoos spice, alongside raisins, dates, figs and plums, with a hint of ginger, honey and roasted chestnuts. With time, juniper, cardamom and black pepper emerge, while at its core lie plum jam, elderberry, blackberry and sweet cherry, finishing with notes of forest floor and roasted nuts. The palate opens dense and compact, the fruit concentrated, with a touch of acidity providing contrast against the fruit's sweetness. Despite its richness, the wine retains an easy drinking flow.

Gingerbread mousse with port-soaked figs, rum pot fruit with bourbon vanilla ice cream, or pan-fried goose liver with apricot-walnut compote and toasted brioche.

Alongside the sparkling wines, the Dolç Mataró is the house's sweet specialty. The 375ml half bottle is just right for rounding off a menu.