2002 Turo d'en Mota
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The regular 2002 Turó d'en Mota was released before the 2001, because they thought the 2001 needed more time in bottle. Like in many parts of Europe, 2002 was a cold and rainy year. In Penedès, they registered 623 liters of rain, higher than the historical average of 528 liters, and an average temperature of 14.5 degrees Celsius, below the average of 15.6 degrees Celsius. The grapes were picked late, the 16th of September, 3,505 kilos of them, which represented a yield of 21 hectoliters per hectare. Tasting the potential 2002 Enoteca Turó d'en Mota after 20 years and four months in bottle with lees, the wine shows differently from the rest. I was lucky to sit next to winemaker Ton Mata at the tasting, and he commented on a "tropical summer with lots of humidity and botrytis." The wine has a nutty nose with notes of moss, mushrooms and damp earth. Perhaps a touch of botrytis?
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Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
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The outstanding 2002 Turo d’en Mota is pure Xarello from a single vineyard of vines planted in 1940 in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia. The first fermentation was done in oak casks where it remained for 45 days with lees stirring and underwent 8 years and three months aging before disgorgement on December 12, 2011. The bouquet is more like a dry white Burgundy than a Cava, with hints of honeysuckle, dried apricot, lemon peel and a touch of jasmine. It is beautifully defined and very complex. The palate is very well-balanced with superb delineation and focus, drawing you in with subtle notes of orange peel, tangerine, beeswax and honeycomb. Long in the mouth and utterly harmonious, one has to ask if this is the “Clos d’Ambonnay” of Cava? Drink now-2016+ The two Cavas from Recaredo were tasted as part of a long line-up. They stood out from the rest, and alongside Gramona, one could argue that they represent the “First Growths” of Cava. It was like being elevated to a higher level of complexity, a thrilling example of tense, mineral-rich Cava that has a distinct Champagne-like personality. The estate was founded back in 1878, but it was not until 1924 that they began specializing in sparkling wine. It was Josep Mata Capellades that honed the craft of drier styles of Cava, using oak barrels and engendering long-living wines. They own 50 hectares of vineyard, use their own natural yeasts and, like Gramona, use natural cork to bottle their wine after triage. I was only able to taste two of their wines in Spain, but intend to taste more in the future. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchants, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990