2010 Gutierrez de la Vega Casta Diva La Diva Vino Dulce de Moscatel

The 2010 Casta Diva La Diva, is produced with late-harvested Moscatel grapes from a 60-year-old vineyard very close to the sea. The process is very similar to the Cosecha Miel, but here the whole clusters are fermented in open barrels. The effect of the oak is almost unnoticeable; it’s a lot more integrated in the wine. This is a lot more subtle, with less sugar, better balance, less in-your-face, with elegant notes of dried flowers, chamomile and balsamic bay leaf. Only 1,200 bottles are produced. This is a superb sweet Moscatel. Drink 2013-2018. The winery, created in 1978 by Felipe Gutierrez de la Vega, a literature and music lover – hence all the artistic references in the names of his wines – is one of the most original throughout Spain, with a wide range of wines. They are located in Parcent, in the Marina subzone of Alicante, very close to the sea, between Benidorm and Denia, where the specialty is Moscatel. The zone is very interesting because the vineyards are located at 700 meters altitude and very close to the sea, which contributes to extra freshness. All their vineyards are dry-farmed and pruned in the old goblet or bush style. They only own two hectares but rent and work a further eight. No external yeasts are used for the fermentations. Daughter Violeta, who studied oenology in Bordeaux, is slowly taking over the winemaking from her father and I have the feeling she’s bringing fresh, new ideas. I know she’s searching for high altitude, almost-forgotten, old-Grenache vineyards to produce some personal wines of her own. There are not that many wineries specializing in sweet wines in Spain; this is one of them, and for me, one of the best. Total production is around 100,000 bottles per year. A (not so new) name to follow, as the new wines show a very promising profile. Other than in Jerez, there are not so many wineries specializing in sweet wines in Spain, but Gutierrez de la Vega is one of them. They have traditionally produced a wide range of wines using Moscatel grapes. All their Moscatels, dry and sweet, share the Casta Diva name, with a subtitle to differentiate them. To complete the range, they are doing some sweet red Fondillon, the traditional rancio wine from Alicante produced in a solera system and aged for a minimum of ten years. Gutierrez de la Vega, of course, does it in his special way, and has released some single-vintage Fondillon, until he had enough old blended wine to start bottling the solera. Importer: Classical Wines, Seattle, WA; tel. (206) 297-6713; www.classicalwines.com