Single vineyard Cava from the Finca Serral del Vell in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia. Calcareous soils, manual harvest, 53% Xarel'lo and 47% Maccabeu, Xarel'lo fermented in oak, second fermentation and ageing sur lattes under natural cork, hand riddling in purpitres, disgorged on 15 September 2014, dégorgement à la volée. Just about every care is lavished on this wine - and it is pretty good too. Slender, clean and precise, dry but rounded rather than austere, saline, floral, 87 months lees ageing add a wonderfully subtle nutty complexity but the wine remains fresh and mineral in spite of a hint of candied fruit, silky palate, has elegance and drive, good length. I am impressed but I am not bowled over.

Scented, perfumed nose, soft red berry fruit, spices from the oak (17 months on French barriques), flowers and smoked bacon; the palate is silky and charming, has depth and mineral drive, freshness and a good stuffing of fruit; on the finish there is a slight, distracting note of bitter cocoa powder. Just a hint of brett?