Alba Viticultores is a collective of four youngsters, not from Sanlucar themselves but working there making a large number - maybe too many - exciting, experimental wines.
They are Fernando Angulo - the member of the team that is best known, having been involved in “champagne sherry” a website selling, well, you guess, and someone who knows the world of wine outside, and in particular Champagne - Carmen Caballero, his wife, herself an ingeniero agrícola, Alejandro Muchada, doctor ‘cum laude’ in architecture whose dream is to become a viticultor, and Miguel Gómez, enologist and maker of the red wine “Mahara”. You can see a full piece on them here by Paz Ivison, of Elmundovino (http://elmundovino.elmundo.es/elmundovino/noticia.html?vi_seccion=10&vs_fecha=201504&vs_noticia=1429867380)
I have had wines of theirs before, most notably the 2013 Sobre Tabla (Lot I) - Alba Sobre Tabla 2013 – Lot I | undertheflor.com - and the impressive, muscular La Charanga 2014 - La Charanga 2014 | undertheflor.com - (there were others I didn’t rate as much - they are on the blog) but a week or so ago I managed to get my hands on a largeish range of their latest releases - 8 bottles in total - and set up a cata with some other blokes one lunchtime.
It was a revelation - these are 100% natural wines with no filtering, the absolute minimum SO2 if any and made in tiny quantities and they are definitely for immediate consumption. The full account of the Cata is here - just one link for all seven wines - The wines of Alba Viticultores, Spring 2016 | undertheflor.com - although I have reordered and will most likely taste each one at more length in future. I was in particular impressed by the Sobre Tabla 2014 - a really serious wine - and by the traditional method bubbles they have made. Really impressive stuff - champagne sherry indeed!
If you read the original piece you will know we intended to drink 8 wines but only managed 7 - here is the one that got away bhttps://undertheflor.com/2016/06/05/ancestral-alegrias-del-carrascal-2015/
Just a post script/health warning - had another bottle of the Brut Nature in the summer and it had not survived the flight/journey/time in bottle and was gone. Just need to bear in mind that they are natural artisan wines and seem to be way better when consumed immediately!
Came across another bottle of Alba a couple of weeks ago - the Campeonisimo 2014. It is a still table wine from 100% palomino fino - from a vine in the highest part of Miraflores called Campeonisimo. What these palominos may lack in piercing acidity they make up for in punch - here is the TN if you are interested.
Very interesting! I appreciate your posts, Andrew!
Thanks a lot Drew glad to hear it. Have been a bit quiet lately so have a few things to report on - you have been warned.
Just a quick update with a TN of a wine by these guys that is really singing Alba Sobre Tabla 2014 | undertheflor.com - which also includes a link to a brilliant interview (in Spanish) with Fernando himself.
And another update - this time the Alba Brut Nature Rosado 2014. Must admit that this was slightly disappointing as a rose brut nature, but would have been an enjoyable wine if I hadn’ followed it with a Jean Vesselle!
These could be Spanish wines or they could be champagnes but they cannot be both, just as Gallo Hearty Burgundy is neither
Yes indeed! the capital letter was misappropriated!
Champagne is a place. It is not in Spain. You can’t make Champagne (or champagne) in Spain any more than you can make Ribera del Duero in Napa.
Indeed not apologies for any confusion but the term was used with poetic rather than factual intention. Fernando Angulo, who more than anyone embodies this project, is a renowned ambassador and seller of Champagnes in Spain, and a close friend of some of the great new producers.