Pares Balta from the Penedes and Bodegas Anadas from Carinena are both making some quite spectacular wines and the great news is they are all vegan!
With the Pares Balta being native to the Penedes, what more could you expect than to start off with a Cava. The Cava Brut is pale yellow in colour, has medium intensity and a nose of white fruits - pear and apple - together with floral notes and a slight hint of creaminess. On the palate it is fresh and lively with predominant fruit flavours, and it culminates in a light, soft and extremely pleasant finish. Just the thing to get the juices flowing. The still white wine from the same stable is the Blanc de Pacs which has ripe, white orchard fruits on the nose that are echoed on the palate, tempered by pithy, zesty lemon acidity and a chalky, almost saline minerality. The combination of ripeness and freshness makes this as interesting as it is delicious. Finally from them there is a red wine, Mas Petit, which displays a deep, dark garnet colour. The nose is full of spice and smoke, along with blackberry, black olive, dried herbs and vanilla. The palate is medium-bodied and soft, with blackberry flavours along with pepper spice, more black olive and a touch of oak.
All of the wines from Pares Balta are not only Vegan but also Organic and in addition, biodynamic. What more could one ask for? Well how about they are of the finest quality and an absolute joy to drink.
As for the wines from Bodegas Anadas, they come from the vineyards of Carinena close to te town of Zaragoza which although i is not a particularly well known area, it offers a broad spectrum of wines and again all Vegan.
To open up there's a white called Care Trio White Blend, so called as it is made from 3 different white grapes - Macabeo, Chardonnay (40% each) and White Grenache 20%. Bright pale yellow with green tinges, it has a fresh, clean nose with intense aromas of fruit, green apple and pineapple being dominant. On the plalate there is a delightfully fresh citric acidity with loads of ripe fruit flavours and an intense and crisp finish. For the first red there is the Tinto Roble, a delicious blend of Syrah and Grenache with the emphasis on grenache. It has a vibrant colour with purple notes towards the edge, intense aromas of red and black fruits over a background of toasted notes. Smooth and luscious, it has some candied notes in the finish. Perfectly balanced, this is a red for all occasions but it's especially good with vegetable tapas dishes. Lastly there is the Garnacha Nativa, pure Grenache from old vines (over 50 years of age) and aged for 8 months in barrel, this is a first class expression of the grape variety with an explosion of dark cherry and raspberry on the palate with hints of mocha amd a smooth and luscious body. The vineyards are in the higher parts of Carinena and thus the longer growing season brings more complexity to the wine.
This superb mixed case is sure to delight a purchaser and at only £60 for all 6 bottles it offers incredible value.