Alta Alella Mirgin Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2021

The Alella D.O. is just a 30-minute drive north of Barcelona, a place where the Mediterranean coast blurs into the suburbs, all framed by the wild nature of the Costa Brava. Here, Alta Alella has been a pioneer in organic viticulture, working primarily with Xarel·lo, a grape that thrives in their sandy granite soils and soaks up the sea breeze.

It’s so rare to find vintage sparkling wine at a good price in places like Champagne (or anywhere in France, honestly). But south of the border, in Catalonia, it’s just the norm. Mirgin is 100% Xarel·lo from the 2021 harvest. That vintage was marked by drought, which yielded a small crop of intensely concentrated grapes. As a Gran Reserva, it has been aged on its lees for at least 35 months, building a very pretty, creamy texture.

Cute, almost butter-yellow in the glass, it's almost like a lemon sorbet that makes you squint. Juicy white peaches. Fuzzy green almonds. The taste will make you think of the last time you swam in the sea.